A Darker Shade of Red
by Tsukino Akume
Summary: The legacy of Wesley Collins and Eric Myers didn't just affect the past - it affected the future. One thousand years after they became Rangers, one person is still struggling against the corruption of Time Force and the heritage he never wanted.
1. Mistakes

**Pairings/:** Alex/Jen, Lucas/Trip, Katie/OC, Wes/Eric  
**Rating/:** T  
**Disclaimer/:** Saban/Disney/Whoever sure didn't write *this* into the series. The plot comes purely from my own warped little mind, and the characters are merely borrowed from them for my own amusement. Lucky you.  
**Warnings/:** A mentally handicapped person living in a medical facility, angst, male and female slash, non-cemented couples (In otherwords, pairings that will be separated), children created by scientific means, character death  
**Author's Notes/:** I decided to finally get started on my rewrite of A Darker Shade of Red, since it isn't that long yet, and it ties into the end of Bright Skies. Some of this will be familiar, some of it won't. Mostly I'm posting it because I keep getting stuck, and I need help. -Sheepish grin- Also, I took down the original version of this story in accordance with the rules of this site. For anyone who misses it, I will (eventually) be putting the original unfinished version up on my website.

This all started out with an odd thought about where Alex could have gotten his dark hair from (Which is entirely cmar's fault - thanks cmar! -Grins-), and somehow I decided to run with a plot about just where that hair came from. Then one of my favorite characters wormed his little way in, creating one of my weirder Ranger friendships. And yet I find it works here. -Shrugs- I don't ask. This story is about why Alex is ... well, Alex, the people who try to keep him sane along the way, and the complications that arise in between.

At least, that's the way it started. Then I saw S.P.D., and everything went to hell. -Snickers- As a warning, this now this takes place in the Bright Skies universe, and will eventually have a crossover with S.P.D.

Love to phantom_blue for beta.

Chapter 1: Mistakes

He waited impatiently, standing stiffly with his hands crossed behind his back as he waited for the four Time Force Rangers to emerge from Quarantine. He'd left his sunglasses in his office, a decision that he'd been torn over, and knew he'd ultimately regret. But he owed this to them - to him most of all. If he was truly going to make up for what he'd done, he needed to let him know he was sincere.

He tried not to fidget when he finally saw them heading in his direction. He swallowed down his nerves, taking a deep breath. He couldn't begin his apology if he was too scared to speak.

They were different, he noted, taking in their weary movements and solemn expressions. He couldn't have expected them to be the same, of course. They had learned so much, as a team, as Power Rangers, as people. And now they'd been forced to leave behind their teammates and the place they had come to consider home. He knew that loss would ache for awhile.

He tried not to be jealous. It wasn't their fault that - well, that things had happened the way they had. It was the way it had to be. It was what he had to do. All he could do now was hope that -

Jen, Lucas, and Katie slowed to a stop in front of him, looking suspicious and tired. No one had told them what was going to happen to them yet; they probably thought they were still fired or something equally ridiculous. Logan had wanted to brief them personally, and Alex was appointed their escort.

But the only thing that mattered to Alex at that moment was that Trip wasn't stopping with the others. He walked past him as though he wasn't even there.

He tried not to wince. "Trip. Wait."

Trip turned, tears shining in his eyes. "Why should I?" he demanded bitterly. "It's not like we're **friends** or anything."

Alex flinched as though he'd be physically struck. "T - that's not true," he protested.

"No, we're not. You made that perfectly clear, **Sir**." He turned and nearly bolted from the room.

"Trip, wait!" Alex called, starting after him.

He was stopped by Katie's hand roughly grabbing his arm, and held in another wince. "What did you do to him?" she demanded angrily. "I've never seen him like that!"

"Let **go**, Lieutenant," he growled, unconsciously slipping into his 'leader' voice.

"No," she returned, glaring coldly.

He fought to reign in his temper and failed. "I said let me go, damn it!" he shouted, trying to twist his way free.

"Alex, what's going on?" he heard Jen ask.

"What's going on is your lieutenant won't let go of me!" he snarled. "For god's sake Katie, let **go**!"

"Why should I?" she shot back.

"So I can find Trip and apologize!"

There was a moment of silence as he struggled.

"Apologize for what?" Lucas wanted to know, sounding suspicious.

"That's none of your business. It's between Trip and me. All you need to know is that I can't fix it with you keeping me here!"

Jen was studying him in a strangely intent way that she never had before. For a moment, he wondered if she could see right through him the way Trip always did. It was unnerving to say the least, and he was a little afraid of what she'd find there. He wasn't expecting for her to sigh, her expression almost seeming to soften. "Let him go, Katie," she commanded.

"What?! But Jen - "

"Let him go."

Katie made a frustrated growl, but her grip dropped from his arm. He didn't waste time on explanations or dignified exits; this was too important. He ran at a dead sprint, through hallways and elevators, ducking past co-workers and ignoring anyone who called out to him. He left the building, heading to Housing 3, fourth floor, room 27. There on the floor, curled up hugging his knees, was Trip.

Alex crouched beside him, touching his shoulder cautiously. "Trip?"

"I can't get in. My codes don't work," came the quiet reply. "I forgot I was fired."

"You're not anymore. Your rooms have changed because you've all been promoted. You're in the Housing 2 now, second floor, room 4," he told him, doing his best to sound soothing.

Trip glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "Why did you follow me? And why didn't you tell us that before?"

He tried to smile. "Some things were more important."

Trip didn't return it. "So I'm important to you now?"

He winced and bowed his head, ashamed. "There's no excuse for how I treated you before Trip, and I know that," he said softly. "All I can do is say I'm sorry."

"Why did you?"

He let out a soft sigh, sliding to sit beside the other man. He shrugged a little. "A lot of reasons. I thought I'd be able to handle things better than that. But there was Jen, Doomtron, and ... " _**Him**_, he finished silently. _Them_. "I didn't think I'd have to deal with it all at once."

"And you shut down."

He nodded. "Yeah."

There was a sudden hard punch to his shoulder. He yelped slightly, not expecting it, and rubbed the injured arm as he looked up. Trip was frowning at him. "That's for ignoring me," he was informed. Trip paused, then punched him again, adding "And that's for pretending to be dead."

"You mean you couldn't ... tell?" he wondered, still rubbing his shoulder. Trip had never been strong, but being a Ranger had given him the same enhanced strength all Rangers enjoyed. His punches actually **hurt** now.

Trip shook his head. "I think the time difference affected my link to you. I couldn't sense if you were alive or dead. It was like you were just ... never there." He hesitated, then quietly admitted "It was lonely."

"I was lonely, too," Alex said softly, daring another glance at him. "I woke up in a lab," he tried not to shiver and failed, "And you weren't there this time. I wasn't ... used to being alone in my head anymore. And then Captain Logan told me all of you had gone to 2001 to retrieve Ransik ... I wanted to strangle myself for telling Jen to go after him. I don't know what I was **thinking** ... "

"You weren't," Trip said bluntly. "You never do when you're injured or upset. It's a proven fact."

He smiled a little. "And you're never afraid to tell me."

There was a moment of silence. "I was then," Trip said at last, tracing a finger along the pattern of the floor. "You weren't ... you. The real you. You were the other you, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't reach you. And my mind was so fuzzy from having you suddenly there that it hurt to try for too long. The other you scares me," he finished softly.

Alex winced again. "I'm sorry. I don't know how many times I can say it, but I am. I just ... I don't know!" He pinched his nose with his left hand in frustration, and glanced up as Trip giggled softly. "What?"

"You remind me of Eric when you do that," Trip informed him. "I kept wanting to call him Alex."

He hesitated for a moment. As much as he didn't like the idea, part of him still wanted to know. "What were they like?" he asked finally.

He saw Trip's gentle smile out of the corner of his eye. "More like you than you'll ever want to know," he answered simply.

"Tell me?"

Trip considered for a minute. "Wes has your sense of humor - when you show it, and I think he has foresight like you. Eric's a tough guy with a soft spot who was really lonely and wouldn't admit it. He reminded me of when I met you, and Wes is more like the real you. You're still different from them, though. Neither of them are shy, and I never saw them act as bad as you do when you're upset. That's just you," he teased.

Alex made a face, but he was grateful to see him smile again. "I am not shy!"

"Oh no?" Trip retorted playfully. "How long did it take you to get up the nerve to talk to Jen?"

He winced. "Not as long as it could have."

Trip's reply was cut off by the sound of Alex's communicator going off.

Alex closed his eyes, wishing he could just make Time Force go away. This was his first time alone with Trip in months! Couldn't they leave him alone for just a little while? For once?

A hand squeezed his wrist gently. "You'd better answer," Trip said softly.

"I don't want to," he muttered rebelliously.

Trip chuckled as the communicator went off again, leaning his head against Alex's shoulder. "If you don't, I will. One of us has to have a sense of duty."

"Why does it have to be me?" he grumbled as he reopened his eyes, pulling the still beeping unit from his belt.

"Because that makes you more believable when we get into trouble?"

Alex rolled his eyes, giving him a dirty look as he answered. "Collins here."

An image of Captain Logan sprang up. "Captain Collins, please report to my office to show the Rangers to their new quarters."

"Yes, Sir."

There was a pause. "Squad Leader Regis is with you." It wasn't quite a question.

"Yes, Sir."

There was a barely audible "Wonderful," followed by "Logan out."

"Collins out," he returned. Trip burst into giggles the moment he turned it off. "What?" he demanded.

"'Wonderful,'" he mimicked. "We haven't even been together for more than half an hour and we've already got everyone worried about what trouble we'll get into."

Alex smiled a little in spite of himself. "What can I say? They know you're a bad influence," he teased.

"Me?" Trip sputtered. He shoved Alex in the shoulder. "Look who's talking!"

"Captain Alexander Collins, a bad influence?" He feigned shock.

Trip laughed at him. "Try **Alex** Collins!"

His smile widened as he rolled to his feet and offered Trip a hand up. "It's good to have you back, Trip," he said quietly.

Trip looked at him for a moment, then abruptly seized him in a tight hug. "I missed you, _Lias aeo na'say'ah pu_," he murmured back.

Alex swallowed. 'Brother of My Heart'. Trip hadn't called him that since they'd first been freed. He squeezed back carefully, trying not to cling to the younger man.

He wasn't stupid enough to think he was completely forgiven, but it was a start.

* * *

He walked stiffly, arms crossed behind his back as he entered Logan's office, ignoring Trip's mental nudge at the abrupt personality shift. "Sir."

Logan glanced up, eyeing the two of them. "Is anything missing, broken, or replaced?"

The three Rangers standing in front of Logan looked startled, but Alex wasn't phased. "No, sir."

He humphed, muttering "Yet," under his breath.

Trip giggled quietly, and was discreetly elbowed.

"I'll escort you to your new quarters, Rangers," Alex said smoothly, covering Trip's muffled grunt. "Follow me." He turned and left without bothering to wait for them.

"Alex, wait!" Jen called, sounding frustrated.

He slowed his pace slightly, allowing them to catch up. "All of your belongings have been moved to your new quarters," he said as they were boarded the elevator. "You've all been moved to Housing 2, second floor, rooms 1-4."

He could feel Lucas looking at him oddly. "They kept us together?"

"Actually, I insisted," he admitted.

A hand squeezed his shoulder as the elevator chimed. "Thanks, Alex," Trip said quietly.

He shrugged, keeping his eyes set firmly straight ahead as he led them across the yard and into Housing 2. "It was nothing," he muttered, feeling a little uncomfortable. He owed them this and so much more.

"Arguing with the Admiral was *nothing*?" Jen said incredulously.

"Captain Scotts and Lieutenant Walker are in rooms 1 and 3, Lieutenant Kendall in room 2, and Squad Leader Regis in room 4," he informed them, ignoring her question as they entered the next elevator and headed up to the second floor. He was trying to work things out with Trip; that didn't mean he was ready to deal with Jen. "These are your new passcodes and ID cards."

"Thank you," Jen said stiffly as they accepted them. Her entire posture and expression told him she'd decided if he could be uptight and stuffy, so could she.

The elevator stopped on their floor, leaving him to watch silently as the four headed to their rooms. Anxiety surged, and he found himself taking a deep breath. "Hastilanu?" he called. He knew it was a mangled, poor attempt, but he had to try.

Trip laughed outright, glancing back at him with a bright grin. "Not even close."

"One day," he threatened, mock-scowling at him. The tight feeling in his chest loosened a little at the sight of Trip's smile.

Trip just grinned. "Maybe when your vocal cords get to the right range, and you can remember all the syllables."

As he turned and reached for the down button he could hear the Katie ask what that had been about.

"Alex has been trying to pronounce my birth name since we met," Trip told them. "I keep telling him that human vocal cords can't produce the right frequency, but he never believes me."

"Your birth name?" Lucas sounded surprised.

Trip's laughter echoed as the doors were closing. "You didn't think Trip is really my name, did you?"

* * *

Relaxing in his office only a few hours later as he read through the reports Quarantine had sent on the Rangers, he reflected on the irony that he seemed to be getting set up as their supervisor. They'd just **love** that, he was sure. But ... if the Rangers reported to him, maybe that would give him a better chance of protecting them.

He didn't glance up at the knock on his door. "Enter."

The door slid open, and Jen hesitated. "May I come in?"

"I said you could, didn't I?" He kept his eyes on the paper he was holding. Why was she here? He wasn't ready for this. He was still hurting over her rejection, over the knowledge that she'd chosen **him**.

But then, when did the world ever wait for things to be convenient for him?

"You didn't know it was me at the time," she pointed out.

"I'm not taking it back, if that's what you're asking."

She made a frustrated noise, stepping inside at last. "We need to talk. Will you at least look at me?"

He lowered the paper slowly, peering up at her through his sunglasses. "So talk."

She glared and marched over, snatching the glasses from him. "I want to talk to your **face** Alex, not your mask."

He stared back at her, trying not to swallow hard as nervousness surged. His sunglasses were his shield from the world: he could keep his expression blank, but people could always see through him when they looked into his eyes. The glasses hid them from view, consequently hiding **him**. Without them, she would be able to see straight through any lie he told her.

He steeled himself internally, schooling his features. "What did you want to say?"

She started to pace. "I wanted to talk to you about the ring. You deserve to know the reasons why I gave it back."

"Wes and Wes?" he muttered under his breath bitterly.

So much for sounding mature.

"That's not why!"

He looked up, startled. He hadn't realized she'd heard him. He forced himself calm again. "What other reason is there?" he asked practically. _Collins was kind, funny, smart, adventurous, generous ... _He went down the mental list of gushing attributes he'd read in their reports of Collins and their eventual capture of Ransik. _How am I supposed to compare to that?_

She was kneeling in front of him, staring intently into his eyes again. He kept still, refusing to give her whatever it was she was looking for. She sighed. "Two things," she said quietly. "First of all, if I was even looking at Wes to begin with, it wasn't fair to you. I can't accept your ring if I can't be content with you as the only man in my life. Second, when you came back to 2001, and then when Wes sent us here, I started to realize just how little I really know about you. I know the parts you want me to see, but not the **real** you. I can't marry a fake person, Alex."

"I see." His tone was cool and detached.

She reached up to touch his cheek, and he could feel his mask threatening to crumble. "You're a terrible liar," she told him softly. "Without your glasses, your eyes give you completely away."

He didn't answer. If his dignity had been lost, he wasn't going to make things worse by opening his mouth.

"I'm not saying I love Wes more than you, and don't you dare compare yourself to him."

_A little late for that,_ he thought darkly. _People have been comparing us since before I was born._

"I still love you, Alex. But I've been falling in love with a person I barely know; someone I can only see when your defenses slip. We can't have a relationship if you're not willing to be honest with me." She took one of his hands in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm not saying never. I'm saying I want to know the parts of you you've been hiding. Once we know more about each other ... well, we'll see what happens."

"What could you possibly want to know?" It slipped out before he thought about it.

She frowned slightly. "For one thing, I never knew you and Trip were so close," she told him pointedly.

"We've known each other - for a long time." He barely caught himself from saying just how long they'd been friends.

Her expression darkened. "That's exactly what I'm talking about! You won't trust me with your secrets! Marriage can't be based on lies, Alex!"

His face turned to stone. If she wanted him to be completely honest with her, she was in for a long wait. "Then maybe there can't be marriage at all."

She stared at him. "You can't mean that."

He just looked at her.

Tears shimmered in her eyes, and she dropped his hands, bolting for the door. It slid closed with barely a whisper, but the intended slam echoed in his mind.

"Computer, activate privacy lock."

There was a soft chime, and he closed his eyes at last. "I can't tell you and have you never look at me the same way again," he whispered to the air. "I can't trust anyone to know. Not even you." His voice cracked on the last word, and only sheer force of will kept him from breaking down right then. A single tear still managed to escape, and he wiped at it hurriedly before slipping his sunglasses back on out of habit.

He didn't have time for this. He had paperwork to go over.


	2. Unwanted

Chapter 2:Unwanted

"Alex, you can't keep avoiding this forever," Logan argued.

_Watch me_, he thought fiercely. "It's perfectly safe where it is," he said instead.

"And if someone cracks the vault?"

"They couldn't use it anyway because of the DNA Lock," he reminded him.

Logan reached up to rub his forehead. They were technically the same rank now, but it was still hard to think of him as Derek. "And what about the other Rangers? Have you stopped to consider that one day they'll need a fifth? Those powers were made to work in a team. They'll need their leader."

"And they have one: Jen," he cut in sharply, eyes narrowing. "**If** for some reason, the Rangers couldn't handle something without a fifth morpher, **if** and only then, they needed me, then ... " He sighed, forcing out the words. "Then I'd accept it."

"So you plan to leave it in the vault until it's absolutely necessary? They could be dead before you even get to it!"

"I wasn't aware you had such little faith in them."

"I wasn't aware you were so selfish."

That did it.

"I am **not** being selfish," he snarled, fists clenching. "I did my time. I brought in Ransik, I protected the city. It's not my morpher anymore. It never really was to begin with."

Logan gave him an irritated look. "Are you still trying to argue that it belongs to Wesley Collins? The man is **dead**, Alex. He's been dead for a thousand years. As his descendant, that leaves it to **you**."

"That morpher," he said coldly, carefully, "Was **never** mine, Logan. It was made for Collins. Just because it came back here after his death doesn't make it any less his." _And I don't want it! Haven't I suffered enough over that stupid hunk of metal?_

Logan sighed, placing his hands on the desk in front of him. "Look, Alex. Why don't we compromise? You don't have to use it. All I'm asking is that you keep it with you. That way if something does happen, you're already prepared. Does that sound fair?"

He scowled at him. "It sounds like I don't have a choice in the matter," he retorted. The irony wasn't lost on him that only a year ago he would never have spoken to the other man this way. The benefits of being promoted for coming back from the dead, apparently.

"Honestly? No. The bigwigs want the morpher on your wrist, Alex. They want their Rangers. And you are the **only** person capable of using the Red Chrono Morpher." Logan shrugged. "I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is."

He closed his eyes with a sigh, fighting to control the part of him that screamed in protest at the idea of even getting near a morpher again. "Well, whatever the bigwigs want," he muttered bitterly. He snatched the Chrono Morpher from it's case in the center of Logan's desk, slapping it on his wrist irritably. He ignored the surge of energy and familiarity that came with its acceptance of him. "Will that be all? 'Sir'?" he finished sarcastically.

Logan scowled at him. "Just get out of my office, Alex. I don't have time to deal with your attitude anymore."

He spun on his heel, marching out. Behind him, he heard Logan call "And while you're at it, grow up!"

"Go to - " he choked on the muttered words, and scowled.

Stupid language censor. Stupid morpher. Stupid sadistic scientist bast -

He coughed as his thoughts rebelled against the word, and fought to keep to punch from punching the wall as he waited impatiently for the elevator.

Judging by the startled looks he got as he made his way to his office, the expression on his face was less than friendly. They wouldn't have been able to blame him if they'd known - not that he would ever explain. How else was he supposed to react to being forced back into the role he'd spent his life trapped in, the role he'd been trying so hard to escape?

He flopped in his chair as the door to slid shut behind him, closing his eyes as he tried to keep from grabbing the morpher and flinging it across the room. Or out the window, more preferably. He knew he should probably stop whining about this. No one had ever cared about his opinion on things before; why should they bother to now?

Distantly he was forced to admit that wasn't really fair. Trip would have understood, at least a little. He knew better than almost anyone just how Alex felt about the Chrono Morphers, and somewhat of why.

But Trip was tainted now, too. All of the Time Force Rangers were. Now that they knew Wes, Wes was the one they wanted. And his replacement wasn't good enough.

His replacement would never be good enough.

Besides, hadn't Trip taken a morpher, too? Even though he knew the truth, knew what they were, he still wore one. Alex may have been the one to tell them to go, but Trip didn't seem to have any regrets about being a Ranger himself.

He shook his head, frustrated with himself. Self-pity wasn't going to get him anywhere but depressed, and he hadn't talked with Trip enough to make any assumptions. He had enough problems to worry about right now.

He reached for a stack of paperwork and started to work his way through it. Might as well be at least a little productive today.

An hour later found him tossing another folder aside irritably. He still couldn't focus on anything, no matter how hard he tried. He wasn't even sure what half of what he'd just read was.

He eyed the morpher sitting innocently on his left wrist again and sighed, pinching his nose. He still had the Ranger Report to do. If he was ever going to tell the Rangers about his new accessory, now was probably the best time.

The Ranger Report was yet another new - and in his opinion completely stupid - idea the higher-ups had come up with, requiring for an update each week by one of the Rangers on any unusual activity. A different Ranger was ordered to do the report each week, and for some reason they'd decided to put him in charge of taking and delivering the results. It was supposed to warn them of any possible Ransik-like attacks before they happened, but he sincerely doubted that if it **was** serious, they wouldn't do anything other than send the Rangers after it … which they would have done on their own in the first place.

So the entire process was stupid and pointless, and he had to do it anyway. Why had he agreed to become an officer again? Oh yeah: he was a masochist.

He checked the listing to find out which Ranger had been assigned for the first week and lifted his wrist with a sigh. "Collins to Lieutenant Kendall."

"Yeah, W - " There was a cough. "Yes, Sir?"

He scowled at the slip. "Report to my office as soon as you're available," he said shortly, turning off the communicator without another word.

About ten minutes later, Lucas came in hesitantly. "Sir? I - " He froze as his eyes found Alex's wrist, then narrowed in anger. "What are you doing with that?" he demanded.

Alex closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Things in the past don't always remain in the past, Lieutenant," he said at last, finally looking up at him.

Lucas' fury didn't fade in the slightest. "That's not yours," he growled. "It belongs to Wes!"

"I'm well aware of that, thanks," he snapped back. "Quite frankly, it's none of your business **who** it belongs to, Lieutenant. I called you in here for the Ranger Report. You're first up."

Lucas snapped to attention instantly. "No unusual activity to report, sir."

He nodded. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

Lucas saluted, then hesitated.

He sighed, knowing he was going to regret this. "Permission to speak freely."

The Blue Ranger's face hardened almost instantly. "You'll never replace Wes." His voice was low and harsh. "**Sir**."

Alex's fists clenched. If Lucas hadn't left at that exact moment, he knew with utter certainty that he would have throttled him right then and there. He barely restrained himself from sending the files on his desk flying. Shaking his head as he fought to control his temper and failed, he headed for the training rooms. He needed to blow off some steam.

* * *

The roundhouse caught his opponent off guard, and he spun with his momentum to follow up with a side kick. He ducked the incoming punch, sliding under it instead to catch them in the gut with a hard uppercut. He dropped back, dodging several more blows, and jumped over a sweep kick that would otherwise have knocked him flat. Moving in with several swift punches that left no chance for retaliation, he shot an abrupt snap kick to the back of the knee and another uppercut that brought them to the floor, his fist hovering over their face.

"Opponent defeated. Winner: Collins," the computer announced blandly.

The small audience that had gathered applauded as the image beneath him faded. He stood slowly, lowering his fists as he took several breaths, finally feeling calmer. Distantly he wondered if they would have applauded so much if they knew it wasn't a training sim he'd been battling.

But then almost no one remembered the classic video games from the end of the 1900's, let alone thought that by-the-book Captain Collins was enough of a history buff to program _Street Fighter_ into the training room. He'd always had a bit of a weakness for video games - especially the combat variety.

"You **jerk**!"

The sudden yank on his arm startled him, and he spun to find Katie glaring at him hatefully. "How could you?!" she demanded, practically nose-to-nose with him. "You had no right to take it! It belongs to Wes! And Jen's our leader, not you!"

He tried to discreetly take a step back as he twisted to get free of her grip. His heart was pounding at the sudden intrusion on his personal space, and he fought to keep it from showing. "What are you talking about? I haven't taken anything."

"Then why is it on your wrist?!"

"My ... ?" He trailed off, realizing what she was referring to. His eyes fell automatically to the morpher. **That** what was she was so furious over? If she wanted it so bad, she could **have** it.

He opened his mouth to respond, but a soft, choked sound stopped him. Heart sinking, he turned to find the last sight on Earth he'd wanted to see: Trip glaring up at him, trying desperately not to cry.

Darn. Whatever Trip had wanted believed on his own was probably being overridden by Katie's angry thoughts. "Trip, I was going to tell you," he began. "I just - "

He was cut off abruptly by the fist that slammed into his nose. Pain exploded between his eyes as his head slammed back from the force of the blow. He stumbled, hands going instinctively to cover his nose. Something wet touched them, and pain flared again as his fingers brushed it. Spots swam before his eyes, and he barely managed to force them open to look at Trip in shock.

The other boy looked horrified, but the expression faded back into anger as their eyes met. "How **could** you?" he demanded. "You - I **hate** you! I'll **never** forgive you for this!"

A cold, distant feeling settled over Alex as he watched Trip bolt from the room. He was aware of Katie's nasty glare before she followed, but he could care less.

Intellectually, he knew that Trip couldn't really hate him - research stated that Xybrians weren't capable of hate, and barely extreme dislike. Their hearts were too pure for that, and Trip was no exception. But knowing that, and hearing him say it were two different things.

Trip was supposed to know. Trip was supposed to understand. Of **everyone**, Trip was supposed to understand how much he hated the Chrono Morphers, that he would never have taken it if he had a choice.

Apparently Trip was on **his** side now, too.

His heart clenched painfully, and he brushed aside whoever was trying to reach for his nose, heading for the door. There was only one person who could have leaked the information about the Morpher. And if Kendall wanted to cause a problem, he'd get one.

He found him in the cafeteria. The person Lucas was talking to didn't even register as he headed straight for the other boy and extracted revenge. Lucas' eyes widened as he was spun around, only to have a fist smash into his face. He retaliated, and within moments they were brawling, ignoring the hands that tried to separate them.

Something sharp pressed into Alex's neck. _Sedative!_ his instincts screamed silently, and he struggled wildly. _No, no no! Get away from me! Leave me alone!_

But despite his efforts, he felt his eyes slide shut.

* * *

Consciousness returned to find himself staring up into a familiar pair of brown eyes. The anxiety he felt faded at the sight, and he found himself getting lost in them. Then pain struck again, and he flinched. "Ow ... "

"Stop moving," Jen informed him. "You'll only make it worse." She carefully dabbed his nose with a wet cloth, then refolded it to a clean side and dabbed again.

"It hurts," he mumbled. The part of his mind that was more coherent was appalled at how whiny that had come out. What was **wrong** with him today?

"Your nose is broken - of course it hurts. We don't have time to get it taken care of yet." She seemed mildly amused.

"Broken?"

"Apparently Trip has a better right hook than he thought," she informed him.

Trip. Trip had hit him. Trip was - Trip was one of **them** now.

The thought hurt more than his nose ever could, and he tried to sit up, pushing her hands away. "I'm fine," he muttered.

"Of course you are," she retorted sarcastically, reaching for him again.

He ducked away, wincing as pain flared, and shook it off with an old sense of familiarity. Pain was nothing. Pain was just his body trying to force limits that could easily be ignored. "Stop it. I'm fine."

"Half of your face is covered in blood. Somehow I doubt that," she returned irritably. "And we're been summoned for a meeting with Captain Logan, so you need to get cleaned up."

"Meeting. Great. Of course," he muttered bitterly. Time Force at it's most inconvenient, as always.

Jen was silent for a moment. "Why didn't you tell us they gave you back the Red Chrono Morpher?" she asked suddenly, managing to let only a hint of anger into her voice.

He let out a long sigh, trying to calm his frustration. This was Jen, and she deserved to know - it was her team after all. And at least she was giving him the chance to explain. "I have no intention of using it again. Ever. The Rangers already have a capable leader and a good team. They don't need a fifth Ranger anymore. Time Force is trying to bully me into taking up my old position, but I won't. No one wants to see this thing in a museum more than me, whether you believe me or not. As for why I didn't tell the rest of you, I - " He barely caught himself from finishing the thought. _I didn't have the time. I didn't want to admit I had it. I didn't want to think about it._

_... I already know you won't accept me as your teammate._

"I didn't think you needed to know I had it if all it was going to be was a fancy communicator," he said finally.

"Maybe you should have let us be the judge of that," she said icily. "Here. You'd better get cleaned up." She practically threw the cloth at him, storming out of the room as he caught it on reflex.

He sat still for a moment before letting out a slow sigh. He leaned forward to rest his head between his knees for a few minutes. His nerves were still shot, from Trip's betrayal and the sedative they'd apparently used to stop his fight with Kendall. He **hated** sedatives.

"A - Alex?"

He closed his eyes for a moment at the tentative voice. "Yes?"

"I ... I'm sorry," Trip whispered. "I didn't ... I didn't mean it."

He snorted without meaning to, and winced as pain flared in his nose. "Yes, you did," he said shortly, pushing himself to his feet. He paused at a mirror to make a few cursory swipes at the blood on his face until he was clean.

"No, I didn't. I'm **really** sorry, Alex," Trip pleaded. "I - "

"You what?" he asked flatly, turning to stare at him. He ignored the tears in Trip's eyes. No matter how bad Trip felt now, it couldn't compare to how **he** felt. "You forgot? You weren't thinking? You were missing Collins too much to remember how I feel about it?"

"That's not - " Trip choked, and a few tears finally spilled over. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm really, **really** sorry!"

He sighed, slowly shaking his head. "Forget it, Trip," he muttered. "I get it already. If it makes you all feel any better, I'm not wearing it because I **chose** to, okay?" He turned, tossing the cloth in a bin and wondering why Jen had bothered with something so ... retro. Who actually used washcloths these days, anyway?

Force of habit probably, he realized. After a year in the past, he supposed he'd have to get used to the four of them developing weird quirks like that.

"Alex, please!"

He stopped, closing his eyes for a moment. "We have a meeting, Squad Leader," he said finally. He ignored Trip's choked sobs as he made his way to Logan's office. No matter what Trip thought, there was no way he could possibly being hurting more than Alex was right now.

The other three Rangers were already waiting when he arrived, standing at attention before Logan. The chairs that were usually place in front of the captain's desk had been moved, Alex noted. Which was interesting, being that technically he and Jen were of equal rank to Logan and didn't **have** to stand in front of him like cadets waiting to be scolded. Not that Jen would; she'd never leave her team to stand alone. It was part of what made her such a good leader.

Alex moved to stand slightly apart from the rest, and didn't bother straightening to attention. He could care less right now what any of them thought of it; he was getting sick and tired of other people's opinions, other people's games. They already hated him anyway. Why was he even bothering to try and satisfy them all?

He heard Trip slip into place beside him, trying to inch closer to close the gap. He could see Katie's glare out of the corner of his eye, and ignored it.

"Glad to see you could all make it," Logan said sarcastically. His gaze zeroed in on Alex, who tried not to roll his eyes. Of course, it was all automatically **his** fault. "I gave you that morpher two hours ago Collins, and you're already getting into trouble with it. Do you have any idea what it does for Time Force to have people see its Rangers brawling like children?" he demanded.

Alex stiffened. "I am **not** a Ranger," he said darkly.

Logan glared, but he wasn't back down. "The deal was that you wear it in case of emergencies. Not that you use it as an excuse to cause trouble."

"Is that what you think I was doing?" Alex demanded incredulously. He gestured to his nose. "Yeah, I **live** for stuff like this. I told you I don't want the stupid thing, and you **made** me take it."

"And we've been over this," Logan ground out. "You are the only one capable of using that morpher, therefore it now belongs to you. That doesn't give you the excuse to act like such a child about it!"

"Acting like a child?" He laughed, a low, bitter sound. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Trip's flinch. "I'm acting like a child." He shook his head, amused. "You know what? Fine. Punish me. Fire me. Whatever. I don't care anymore." He turned for the door.

"I'm not finished with you, Collins!"

"Well, I'm finished with you," he snapped back. He paused in the doorway to look back at them, shaking his head. "I'm finished with all of you. You want the Red Chrono Morpher? You can have it." He ripped it from his wrist without a second thought, throwing it at Kendall's head. "Go give it to the real Wesley Collins. His replacement quits."

He walked out, ignoring the stares at his back, and Logan's shouts.


	3. Fallen Hero

Chapter 3: Fallen Hero

He'd walked this hall so many times before he could recall every detail of the pictures on its walls from memory. To his immediate left was a picture of the Red Time Force and Quantum Rangers, posed and ready for action. To his right was Wesley Collins and Eric Myers, Myers looking cool and indifferent while Collins slung an arm around his shoulders with a bright grin. After that they separated, keeping Collins to his left and Myers to his right. Pictures of each one throughout their careers, at work or - in Collins' case, at least - relaxing. Something about the separation seemed wrong from the little he knew of them, but it wasn't his place to complain.

At last he reached a side door, almost hidden from view between frames of Eric Myers and the Quantum Ranger. He raised his palm for fingerprint identification, and was admitted. The inside, unlike the well-lit hall, was dark and cold. A box was placed at the far end, hooked up to various medical equipment. There was a chair to one side, and he went to sit in it.

He remained silent, leaning forward to rest his chin on clasped hands. He came here when he needed time and space to think, the only place where he could be really be alone. He could be found in his apartment, but hardly anyone even knew about this room, let alone cared about what it was for.

His body was still protesting the sudden removal of the morpher after only two hours of feeding off it again, and the feeling of withdrawal was making him nauseous. Was he already getting addicted to it again, or had he pulled it off in time? Would he know?

Even in the months he hadn't worn it, when the Red Chrono Morpher was in the past with its owner, he'd still felt strange without it. He was sick and weak, and having that extra source of strength taken away from him left him feeling vulnerable. It had taken too long to heal from his injuries, and he kept wondering if something was wrong with him in all the time he'd spent holed up in that dark room, watching over the Rangers.

The nightmares hadn't helped of course. Remembering his last moments had only affected his dreams for maybe a week. But waking up in the medical wing, surrounded by bright lights and machines and people he didn't know ...

He'd panicked.

The resulting struggle from him trying to escape had led to a couple of months in counseling, where he'd been forced to lie through his teeth about why he'd reacted the way he had. The therapist wasn't someone who knew him or who he really was, so she'd bought his excuses about Ranger instincts kicking in when he woke up in an unfamiliar place. He fed her some lines about Ransik's attack and facing his own death bothering him more than he'd thought, and she'd eaten it up. He suffered through her assurances that his reactions were perfectly normal, that there was nothing to be ashamed of. That he should be proud that his instincts of self-preservation were so strong.

Proud. He snorted. Pride had nothing to do with it. And self-preservation? That wasn't something he'd ever really had. Protecting others ... protecting Ben, and Trip, and eventually Newtech City itself, that was what he knew. But him? He wasn't important.

He sighed, leaning forward as he contemplated the box in front of him. 'Cryogenic containment unit', he corrected himself. Supposed to be keeping him alive or something.

One of the 'doctors' who puttered in and out of here once in awhile to check the equipment had once suggested that he talk, in hopes of waking him up. He knew better, though. **If** Ben was even capable of waking up, of hearing him, he wouldn't want to. A lifetime of sleep was the best reward for the life he'd lived, and Alex wouldn't take that away from him.

There was irony, and a sense of injustice, in the fact that this secret room was so close to the labs that had created them. The labs they had lived in for fifteen years, being pushed to be stronger, faster, smarter, better. Enduring the pain and torture of testing the Morphers over and over again. At night when their only comfort was that they were together - each of them the only person the other could trust.

He could still remember the realization that the Quantum Morpher was hurting him. It had started out with small things, moments of weakness where Ben's strength simply gave out, or sudden flares of what was normally an almost non-existent temper. That had moved on to seizures and violent mood swings, which left one of the scientists pondering if he'd become schizophrenic. His body had begun to fail him after that, suffering massive nerve and tissue damage. The morning Ben had woken up and quietly declared he couldn't feel his legs was the day Alex knew he was losing him.

Not that that had stopped the scientists, of course. To them this was a chance to test the physical boosting capabilities of the morpher, and test it they had. It had proven that it could give the ability to walk to a handicapped person, and they hadn't cared that it left Ben screaming in agony afterwards.

The sound of Ben's screams still haunted Alex's nightmares sometimes. Memories of the sweat on his face, the unbearable pain he could see the other boy suffering. Knowing that no matter how strong or how many painkillers he snuck him each night, they never made it stop.

Morphed, no one could have known the Quantum Ranger was in pain, and **while** he was morphed, he wasn't. He was as strong and fast as the Red Time Force Ranger, and could easily defeat him in combat on a good day. But Ben was becoming addicted to being a Ranger. Morphing took away the pain, and to him, it was worth the excruciating pain afterwards just for that time when he was strong and perfect again. His body decayed faster and faster, until he began begging to morph again. The scientists took it as a sign of a willing patient and pushed him harder, testing to see how long he could hold his Ranger form, and how much pressure and pain it would take to make him lose it.

Alex had been forced to watch him dying, slowly and painfully, and know there was nothing he could do. There was nowhere to escape to, and Ben was in no condition to leave even if there was. Worse than that, he had become so addicted to his morpher that he would have refused to go, too desperate for those moments of painlessness. Nothing else could make him stop hurting, and now there was nothing else he wanted more.

Trip's arrival to their nightmare had been a mixed blessing. With Ben losing his sanity, Alex was alone, and losing himself in the experiments and pain. The price of a companion however, was high. Trip had been another fascination to the scientists, and Alex was forced to watch once again as another friend endured.

Ben finally collapsed one day in the middle of a standard blaster test. The test was nothing new; he and Alex would stand across from each other and fire their blasters until one of them demorphed. The Quantum Defender was far more powerful than his simple Chrono Blaster, and often the scientists would take extra shots with blasters of their own to even the odds. He could never be completely sure, but somehow Alex knew that it was **his** Chrono Blaster that gave the last blow that day.

Ben had gone down and stayed there. There was no screams, no curses, no begging for them to power up the Morpher again. He was just ... gone.

Alex had remained silent as Ben's body was taken away for regenerative stasis, in hopes of bring him out of the coma. He knew Ben wasn't dead, but something in him had just ... shut down at the sight of the body lying so still and cold. It wasn't right. Ben was supposed to smile and boast and ... and ....

Alex shook his head, closing his eyes. It hadn't been until late that night, with Trip trying vainly to comfort him over something the younger boy didn't even know had happened, that he had given in to his tears. That had been the one and only time he'd allowed himself to cry over Ben.

Ben had given his life to the Quantum Morpher project, in all senses of the word. He was born to test that morpher, and he had, right up until the day it killed him. The scientists had fixed the 'glitches' as they'd called them, and had assured Time Force that it was merely a self-induced coma, that he could wake up any time he wanted. Alex honestly doubted it was so simple, and if it **was** self-induced, they might as well just unplug the machines and lay him to rest now: he'd would never wake up of his own choice.

And frankly, Alex didn't want him to.

He had gone on alone, knowing there was nothing else he could do. Time Force had eventually rescued him and Trip from the labs, and he'd taken their offer to join the academy automatically. If he'd been smart enough back then, he would have taken Trip and run as far away from Newtech as he could. But how were a fifteen-year-old lab rat and a thirteen-year-old Xybrian refugee supposed to take care of themselves without any knowledge of how the world worked?

Instead he'd become Time Force's Red Ranger, wondering every time he morphed if today was the day it would start to poison him, the same way the Quantum Morpher had done for Ben. He was still terrified that one day the other Chrono Morphers would start to do the same. He had worked his way through Time Force, trying to achieve greater status for reasons even he couldn't define. Maybe because there was nothing else left for him. Being a Ranger and doing what he was told was all he knew.

Trip had been his little brother, his best and only friend along the way, giving him someone to protect. Then there had been Jennifer, his beautiful girlfriend with a charming smile and fierce determination. They had been everything to him, right until the day Ransik tried to kill him.

And then he woke up to find that everyone thought he was dead, that Jen had taken her team and the rest of the Time Force Morphers to the past. That his morpher, that he had fought and bled and nearly lost his **life** for, had been given to Wesley Collins. Perfect, normal Collins, who had no idea what he had gone through because of that morpher. Who would never know how much Alex hated him just for existing, because without Collins, there would never have been a need for the Red Chrono Morpher.

And Jen and Trip and the others had taken him into their lives without a second thought.

It was true that Jen and the other two didn't know what he'd gone through, but Trip **did**. And if it was anyone but Trip, it would hurt even more than it already had. But it **was** Trip, and he knew, when he forced himself to think about it, that Trip had wanted to do what was best for the team and the people they were protecting by trying to bring in Ransik. Alex's own feelings on Collins had never been part of the equation for him.

But that didn't stop Alex from feeling betrayed anyway. Whether or not Trip meant it, or Jen had even known, or Kendall and Walker had known anything about him that wasn't already public knowledge, it still hurt to be replaced. And his one trip to the past, to try and put things back on track before Jen and her team forgot where they were from, what they were truly fighting for, had just driven home the fact that they didn't need him anymore - never had. And now, they didn't even **want** him.

They wanted Collins.

He reached out to the tank, stopping himself moments before touching it and withdrawing his hand. Fifteen years of pain and torture, all for a piece of techno-junk that would be forced on Ben the moment he woke up, just like they'd done to Alex. Time Force couldn't pass up the opportunity for the return of its own Quantum Ranger, after all.

But Ben didn't deserve that. He deserved his hard-won rest, and Alex wouldn't let them take it from him. He'd keep **one** of them safe. Somehow.

Few members of Time Force's officers, even the higher-ups, remembered this room even still existed, let alone the occupant inside that had yet to stir. Some of them had even forgotten the body that had been found when he and Trip had been liberated. That anonymity had been their life long dream, one Alex still longed for. The chance to simply **be**, rather than to exist as the remake of a long-dead hero. With the completion of the Quantum Morpher and Ransik's capture, the world no longer had a need for Benjamin Myers.

He wouldn't let them take that from his brother for anything.

With a sigh, he finally dragged himself to his feet. Hanging around here was only going to put off the inevitable.


	4. No Choice

Hey, developing plot! Who knew? Enjoy!

Chapter 4: No Choice

It had been a long week for Alex.

Logan was still furious at him. Lucas and Katie didn't seem to know what to make of him now, and the looks they kept giving him were driving him nuts. Jen always looked like she **wanted** to talk to him, but couldn't seem to find the nerve to. Trip **was** trying, and Alex had been avoiding him constantly - which was a lot harder to do than it sounded when Trip was truly determined about something. But he didn't want Trip's apologies, or Jen's questions, or Lucas and Katie's confusion. He **definitely** didn't want Logan's crap about how he had a 'responsibility' or whatever nonsense he was trying to use as an excuse now.

To his dismay, he hadn't been fired. If anything, the situation seemed to be being ignored, other than Logan trying to pressure him whenever he found the chance. But the morpher was gone for now, and Alex was quite happy to keep it that way.

In retrospect, he should have realized sooner that it would never last.

The door to Ben's room opened for him as always, but he froze in the entrance. The room was absolutely empty. The medical equipment, the stasis pod, the chair ... All gone, as if they'd never been there in the first place.

His heart clenched. _No … What have they done?!_

"Looking for something?"

It took all his willpower not to flinch at the voice behind him. Commander Blakemore had been one of the sponsors behind the Morpher Project. Unfortunately, all evidence of his involvement had conveniently disappeared just before the project had been discovered. Without the evidence he and Trip had never been able to prove he'd been a part of it, and he'd remained an uncontested member of Time Force.

Alex was **terrified** of him.

He turned slowly, his expression cold as he faced him. His sunglasses shielded the fear in his eyes from view. "What's going on?" he demanded sharply.

Blakemore smiled, the expression sending chills down Alex's spine. A small box was in his hand, and he played with it almost casually. "It's quite simple, Alexander. Time Force wants its Red Ranger. You agree to perform your duties, and Benjamin remains asleep. Refuse to cooperate, and we'll be forced to awaken the Quantum Ranger. The decision is yours." He shrugged as though it didn't matter to him either way. It probably didn't.

Alex was silent for a moment, his mind flying through every possible alternative he could come up with. He couldn't be a Ranger again - it had taken him so long to get away from that. He didn't - he **couldn't** …

His thoughts came up blank.

There was nothing else he could do. No matter how much he hated it, he had no choice. Ben deserved to stay asleep, and he couldn't let Time Force take that away from him.

"I'll do it."

Blakemore's smile widened. "Good boy."

The box opened to reveal the Red Chrono Morpher sitting innocently, waiting for him. It was all Alex could do to keep his hands from shaking as he reached for it, carefully taking it and pulling it to him. He attached it to his wrist before he could stop himself, and the immediate wave of energy that surged through him made him nauseous.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Blakemore asked with a smirk. "All it took was a little persuasion." He paused for effect before patting Alex on the head. "Now run along, Alexander. Mustn't keep your team waiting."

Alex's teeth ground, fists clenching. He turned and walked away, Blakemore chuckling behind him.

It wasn't until he was well away from the hallway, safely hidden in a corner where he knew the cameras couldn't see him, that he allowed the shudder he'd been fighting to run through him. He wrapped his arms around himself, shaking, and tried to keep in the tears that threatened his eyes.

Six years, and he was right back where he'd started: Time Force's pet Ranger. He was going to be sick.

He glanced down at the morpher still sitting placidly on his wrist, and fought the urge to throw it as far away from as he could.

* * *

Barely the day after Alex had been forced to take up the morpher again, Time Force had started regular training schedules for the Rangers, 'to get them used to working with their Red Ranger', as the memo said.

When Alex finally showed up to the appropriate training room, the tension in the room was palpable. Lucas and Katie seemed to think he'd just proven something to them, judging by the dark looks they were giving him. Jen's face was strangely blank, her mouth pressed into a thin line. Trip watched him in open concern, and it was hard to keep from looking him in the eyes.

The training opened with a random sparring session, and only Trip didn't leave him with excessive bruises. The fact that Rangers were barely tolerating his presence didn't seem to go unnoticed, but there hadn't been any authority figures calling them on it yet, and Alex wasn't exactly trying to fix the problem himself.

Eventually he found himself facing off with Katie, who seemed to take a certain gleefully sadistic pleasure in trying to hit him as hard as she could, which meant he spent most of his time trying to dodge her blows rather than fight back. He was used to trying to defend rather than attack, but it definitely wasn't his style. And while he knew he could probably take her down if he found an opening, he couldn't bring himself to do it; if he took Katie down, it wasn't going to be pretty.

And of course to make matters worse, Trip kept trying to contact him telepathically as they fought - which wasn't exactly helping his focus. When Alex refused to answer, he'd said something to Jen as the two of them teamed up against Lucas. Now Jen kept shooting him suspicious looks of her own, and it was driving him crazy.

When had they become enough of a team for her to trust Trip so easily? And why hadn't he noticed?

The answer was simple, of course: he wasn't there. After a year of fighting Ransik together, isolated from Time Force, the four of them had become a team. And he wasn't part of that, never would be.

At last Logan's voice came over the com. "Let's take it up to the next level, Rangers."

Which meant he wanted them to morph. There was no way - no way he could do this. Wear the morpher, okay. But morphing. Not happening. Not a chance.

He looked down at his comm unit, opening his mouth to excuse himself for a 'priority transmission'. He glanced up and froze. Blakemore was standing in the back of the observation room. Trip must not have seen him - the Rangers were already moving to their morphing stance.

Chills ran down his spine as Blakemore stared at him, smirking.

He swallowed hard, and at last reached for the morpher, praying his hands weren't shaking again. "Time for Time Force," he called woodenly.

He turned to the Yellow Ranger, who stared at him for a moment in surprise. Then her fists came up, and she launched herself at him again. He retaliated silently, the power instantly replenishing his strength and dulling the pain of his earlier bruises. Old memories surfaced, and he found himself reverting to the familiar Ranger instincts.

This was what he knew. This was what he was.

Underneath his helmet, he felt a tear slide down his cheek.

* * *

He was barely inside his office before the Rangers barged in. "Alex what's going on?" Jen demanded.

"Why are you suddenly using Wes' morpher?" Katie wanted to know, her eyes narrowed at him. "Changed your mind or something? You're suddenly not too good for us anymore?"

Lucas' glare was like ice. "We don't need your help."

Trip looked worried as he reached out to touch his shoulder. "Alex, what's happening?"

It was too much. Everything hit him all at once, and he backed against the wall, trying to get away from them. His arms came up in defense as they pressed in, and for a moment he found himself back in the endless white walls and bright lights, people trying to attach more equipment to him.

"**No**!" he shouted in defiance, attacking before they had the chance.

His kicks were wild, trying to keep them all away. The moment someone slipped inside his defenses, he lashed out with his fists. His chest was heaving in fear, but distantly he thought he remembered a door behind them. If he could just break through, he'd be free.

Desperate, he launched himself into a full-on tackle. The person he hit went down, and he bolted for the door. His hand stretched out, reaching for freedom.

Something stung his back, and he felt himself falling as darkness closed in on him.


	5. Truth

And the truth about Alex's past comes out. As always, more Alex angst ahead, because phantom_blue loves to see him suffer.

Chapter 5: Truth

Alex stirred, his eyes drifting open to stare at the ceiling of his living room. For a moment, he wondered when he'd gotten there, and how long he'd been out. His head was killing him, but everything else seemed to be in working order.

"Alex ... ?" The voice was soft, tentative.

He blinked, frowning a little as he tried to sit up. It took more effort than it should have. "Trip? What are you - "

He paused. Trip was kneeling a few feet away from his couch, watching him in concern. Jen sat in his favorite chair with an unreadable expression, while he could see Lucas in front of the main door and Katie by the kitchen, both looking suspicious. "What's going on?" he asked warily.

Trip hesitated. "We were ... sort of hoping you could tell us."

He frowned, one hand going to the back of his head as he tried not to wince. "What happened? The last thing I remember was - " He stopped.

His office. They were trying to corner him, asking questions -

Oh, great.

"You had a flashback," Trip said carefully. "We brought you back here so there wouldn't be any questions."

He snorted without meaning to, finally managing to get to a sitting position. Yeah, like the Rangers didn't have questions of their own. This was **just** what he needed.

"Trip didn't want you in the infirmary," Jen spoke up, still looking at him with that expression he couldn't read through. "He seemed to think it'd just make things worse."

Logan finding out he was mentally unstable? Or worse, Blakemore? They'd get Ben in a heartbeat.

He shuddered without meaning to. "He's probably right," he admitted.

"So what happened?" Katie asked. The guarded look hadn't faded, and she didn't move from the entrance to the kitchen - although she wasn't blocking it completely, he noted - but her voice was less hostile toward him than it usually was.

"It was nothing. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm fine now." The words were automatic, and he fought for balance as stood. The sway was brief, but noticeable.

"Alex."

He looked up as his head cleared and found Trip standing in front of him, looking solemn. "Something's happened, hasn't it?" the younger man asked quietly.

He hesitated for barely a moment before shaking his head. "It's nothing for you to - "

"**Alex**!" Trip's eyes burned into his, full of hurt and anger. "If it hurts you, it hurts me too!" He paused, biting his lip uncertainly as his eyes looked pained. "Or do I not matter to you anymore?"

"What?!" He stared at Trip, incredulous. "You're the one who stopped caring!"

"I did not!" Trip protested hotly. "I ... " He bit his lip again, fidgeting. "I forgot," he confessed softly, guilt flooding his expression. "I just ... I kept seeing - I mean, thinking about Wes, and I ... " He looked up, his eyes pleading. "I didn't mean to do it, Alex. I'm sorry."

Seeing. Seeing as in visions. He **had** been picking up on the Rangers' thoughts.

Alex looked away. "You forgot," he repeated dully. "Must have been nice."

Trip flinched. "I'm sorry," he whispered again, sounding heartbroken. "Please, Alex. Tell me what's going on," he begged. "If - if they're trying to hurt you again, then it's my problem too."

He immediately shook his head without thinking, and regretted it the moment he did. "No," he said flatly. "I'm not dragging you into it. This is my problem."

"Dragging Trip into what?" Lucas demanded. "What's going on?"

"Alex, we have a right to know," Jen argued. "You've been acting strange for months now, and I want to know why."

He closed his eyes, fighting to keep his temper. "It's not my secret to tell," he said at last, his tone short.

"Then tell us anyway."

His eyes snapped open again to stare at Trip in surprise. "What?"

"If they're hurting you again, then I want to help. And if I'm a reason you don't want to talk about it, then ... " He could see Trip's hesitation, and the moment of slight fear in his eyes before he swallowed. "Then **I'll** tell them."

"Trip, you can't - "

"Will **somebody** explain what's going on?" Katie demanded irritably.

He and Trip stared at one another for a long moment. "Please, Alex," Trip whispered, looking pained.

He hesitated. "It's Ben," he said at last, closing his eyes. "Blakemore has Ben. He said that if I don't start using the Red Chrono Morpher, they'd wake him up again."

He heard Trip suck in his breath sharply, and could almost sense the surprise from Jen and the others. " ... Ben?" Katie asked hesitantly.

He swallowed hard, forcing his eyes open. "My brother," he said evenly.

Jen started. "You ... you have a ... ?"

He nodded once, slowly. He glanced at Trip again, just to be sure. After all, Ben wasn't just a part of his secret.

Trip just nodded in return, biting his lip. "It's okay," he whispered.

"You'd ... you'd all better find a seat," he said finally. "This is a long story."

Lucas and Katie didn't seem any more reassured by that as they begrudgingly found places to sit. Jen sank back against her chair, seeming lost, and he hated knowing he was the one to put that look on her face. Trip sat beside him on the couch, squeezing his hand reassuringly, and he resisted the urge to wrap an arm around him and pull him closer.

There was a long silence as they waited, and he tried to find a way to begin. If it hadn't been for Trip's insistence, he wouldn't be trying to tell them at all. To be honest, he still didn't want to. They'd never look at him - at either of them - the same way after this.

"You've always said Wes looks like me," he said abruptly. "But that's not true."

He could see Jen blinking out of the corner of his eye. "You're right. He existed first," she murmured.

He shook his head. "There's more to it than that. Time Force has had records of Wesley Collins' existence for decades, with data about his time as the Red Time Force Ranger. Same for Eric Myers as the Quantum Ranger. They **knew** it was going to happen. A group of scientists were selected to use the data to construct the Chrono and Quantum Morphers. They succeeded, obviously, but as they were building it they was a lot of deliberation over the test subject. Someone made a joke of using Wesley Collins to test the Red Chrono Morpher. Eventually, that led to the decision that they wanted Collins to be the only person to ever use the Red Chrono morpher."

"They cloned Wes?" He could hear the puzzlement in Lucas' voice, and Katie's sudden gasp.

"You're-"

But he was already shaking his head. "They deliberated over it, but someone else purposed a better idea. They wanted to see someone with the intelligence, business savvy, and wit of Wesley Collins, combined with the strength, determination, and martial arts prowess of Eric Myers. They violated Time Force protocol to retrieve DNA for each of them, and used it to create two children, one for each morpher. The scientists named one Alexander, and the other Benjamin."

They were staring at him in shock now, and Trip's grip on his hand was getting uncomfortably tight. "Alex..." Jen breathed.

"The Chrono Morpher was adjusted to accept the DNA of Wesley Collins **and** Alexander. The child developed alongside it, and they conducted many experiments to see how his body reacted to it. Benjamin was used to test the Quantum morpher, with similar experiments." He shuddered, unable to keep up the detached narration any longer. "I hate hospitals to this day," he whispered.

There was another long silence, and he started when Jen moved to sit beside him. Tentatively, she took his hand in hers and gave a gentle squeeze. "So Ben is your brother?" she encouraged.

He nodded. "The Quantum Morpher was more powerful than the Chrono Morpher, but there were problems. It began to affect Ben physically - he was eventually paralyzed. The scientists used the opportunity to see how much of the human body the morphers could regenerate for battle. They just kept pushing him, until he finally collapsed and never got up again." He closed his eyes and felt another hand squeeze. "They called it a self-induced coma, and put him in regenerative stasis." He shrugged a little. "But by then they had more interest in me and Trip, so Ben was pretty much forgotten." His eyes darkened. "Or at least I thought he was."

"You and Trip?" Lucas sounded puzzled.

He felt Trip shiver slightly, and immediately wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He looked down at him again to be sure, but Trip just offered a hesitant smile and nod. He didn't bother waiting for Trip to explain - he knew he couldn't.

He took a deep breath. "They discovered another stasis pod when I was about nine, but they weren't able to get it open at the time. There was some sort of lock on it. When they finally decided to leave it alone, Trip tried to speak to me telepathically." He smiled a little at the thought, shaking his head. "I thought I was losing my mind at first."

Trip elbowed him lightly, but they smiled at each other.

"Trip?" Katie's voice wavered slightly. "I don't understand ... "

Trip looked up at her guiltily. "I was born on Xybria," he explained quietly. "We - we were very peaceful people, but we'd been attacked so many times for our technology and resources ... Eventually our scientists discovered that all the fighting damaged the planet's core - it was dying." He swallowed, and Alex saw tears shining in his eyes. "They started creating cryogenic stasis pods and starting shipping our people into space, in hopes we'd survive to colonize another planet. My parents ... they only had enough money for one."

The other three were staring at him in horror. "Trip ... " Lucas murmured.

Alex cleared his throat uncomfortably. "When Trip first tried talking to me, he didn't speak English and I didn't speak Xybrian. It took awhile for us to learn from one another. I still can't pronounce anything accurately in Xybrian, but Trip picked up English quickly." He gave his friend another slight smile, but Trip's answering one was still slightly shaky. "About two years after they found him, Trip's pod just ... opened. I tried hide him before anyone heard, but they found him the next day anyway." He fell silent for a moment.

"You were trying to protect him," Katie said softly, staring if she'd never seen either of them before.

Trip nodded. "Alex has always protected me," he admitted quietly. "He's my brother."

Lucas was giving them another weird look, but Alex just nodded in agreement. "I didn't want Trip to go through the things I did. I wasn't able to keep them from away him completely, but I did what I could." He hesitated, thinking of blinding lights over tables and total darkness each night, and having to lead his new friend around by the hand so he wouldn't walk into anything. "He ... he had things worse than I did."

He didn't elaborate.

"I didn't really know Ben," Trip said softly. "He went into stasis just after I woke up. After that, it was just me and Alex trying to take care of each other."

"I was in the middle of testing one day when someone stormed the building," Alex went on, staring at the floor as he remembered. "It turned out Time Force had discovered that some of their scientists had been conducting illegal experiments and went to put a stop to it. They weren't expecting to find us, but they offered to enroll us in the academy." He shrugged at the stares he knew he was getting. "We didn't have anywhere else to go, so we accepted.

"After we joined the academy, I pretty much flew through all my classes and graduated a year ahead. Trip got held back a year because his muscles had nearly atrophied after all that time in the labs - it's how he got his nickname. We didn't get to see each other much after that, but I still tried to help him whenever I could."

"Alex is the reason I made it into a squad at all," Trip agreed, leaning into him a little.

"We never told anyone about what had happened partly because we just wanted to get past it, and partly because we were afraid no one would ever be able to see either of us the same way again," Alex finished. _And because I didn't want you to know that I __**am**__ Collin's replacement_, he added silently. He refused to voice that aloud; it was true, but he knew they'd argue with him just because they'd think they had to.

Silence lingered.

"How long were you there?" Lucas asked at last.

"Four years," Trip said softly.

Alex considered. "According to the logs, I was fifteen when we were released, and I was raised there."

"Alex ..." The horror in Jen's voice made him want to cringe. "How could you stand to join Time Force after all that?"

He shrugged. "There wasn't anywhere else to go. Then once they found out how good I was, they weren't going to let me go no matter how much trouble I caused. They claim that I'm a good officer, but the Time Force officials see me the same way their scientists did." He shook his head at her expression. "I'm a Ranger, Jen. That's all I've ever been."

"You ... " Katie swallowed. "Then why did you refuse to morph before?"

He sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I know none of you want me to be a Ranger," he said at last. "I'm not Wes."

He saw Jen's start. "What?"

"I'm not Wes," he repeated. "No matter how much Time Force wants me to be, no matter how much all of you miss him, I'm not." He looked down at the morpher on his wrist. "This morpher was made for Wesley Collins. **He's** Time Force Red. I'm only wearing this now to keep anyone else from trying to use it." He stood, unable to sit still any longer. He walked to the large window that gave his living room a spectacular view of the city - the benefits of being a Time Force officer. His eyes automatically fell on the main Time Force compound. "If Commander Blakemore hadn't interfered, it'd still be in the vault. I mean it when I say that no one wants to see this thing in a museum more than me."

"Alex, I - " Jen stopped, and he could see the uncertainty in her reflection.

He shook his head. "There's nothing more to say. If you'll all excuse me, I'd like to be alone for awhile."

They exchanged glances, and Trip took a step toward him. "Alex ... "

"I'll be all right, Trip," he said quietly. "I just need some time alone."

Trip looked hurt, but he let Katie tug him back toward the door. Lucas ushered them out with barely a backwards glance. Jen hesitated, but at last she followed the rest.

Alex waited several minutes after the door closed before resting his forehead against the cool glass of the window. He closed his eyes, and felt his shoulders shake.

He barely remembered to lock the door before he broke down completely.


	6. Support

This chapter is for Dagmar Buse, who hoped to see Lucas and Katie's responses to learning about Alex and Trip, and megthelegend, because her comments to the last chapter made me laugh and smile.

Chapter 6: Support

"Hey, Alex!"

The bright greeting startled him, and he looked up from his lunch to stare at Katie as she sat down across from him. "Man, I'm hungry," she remarked, unwrapping her sandwich. "I never realized how much work goes into monitoring Newtech City. Silver Hills wasn't nearly this big." She stopped to consider. "Although we didn't have as much technology to help then." She made a face and took a bite of her sandwich, swallowing quickly before she finished with "But we didn't have to learn how to use it all then, either."

Alex continued to stare at her blankly. When she showed no signs of moving or explaining herself, he finally managed to ask "What are you doing here?"

She gave him a weird look. "Eating lunch."

He tried not to roll his eyes. "I meant, what are you doing at this table?" He sighed at her confusion. "With me," he elaborated. "Why are you having lunch with me."

"I didn't realize this was an exclusive table," she snorted, making no attempts to move.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to rein in his temper again. "You hate me."

"Says who?"

There was a pause.

He looked up, waiting for the punch line, and found her staring at him, looking started. "You really do think we hate you, don't you?" she said softly.

He shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "You do," he reminded her pointedly.

She set down her sandwich, frowning at him in concern. "Alex, I don't like you because you've been a real jerk from the little I **do** know of you. But that doesn't mean I **hate** you." She frowned. "And you can't think Jen and Trip hate you."

He sighed. "Trip isn't capable of hating anyone - he's Xybrian," he reminded her. "But that doesn't mean he can't be angry at me. And Jen ... " He paused, swallowing. "Jen has every reason to hate me."

There was a long silence as she kept looking at him, and he finally went back to his lunch in an effort to pretend he didn't care. _Katie and Lucas have never liked me_, he reminded himself. _And everything I did before, for whatever reasons I tried to make it right in my head, just pushed Jen and Trip further away. The Rangers have every right to hate me._

No matter how many times he told himself that, it didn't seem to make it hurt any less.

"They really have messed with your head, haven't they?" Katie spoke up at last.

Strangely, the look he gave her was only met with sympathy. "Katie, what are you doing here?" he sighed finally. This was giving him a headache.

She seemed amused for some reason. "First of all, having lunch. As for why I'm having it with you, we're teammates now. We're not friends, but I don't see why that can't change. And since I knew you wouldn't make the first move, I did." She casually reached out to steal the banana off the side of his tray. "And I figure it's probably not a good idea to leave you alone right now in case that Blakemore guy you were talking sabout shows up again," she added quietly.

She had a point - Blakemore only approached him when he was alone. The last thing he'd want was witnesses. He may be confident in his power over Alex, but he didn't have anything on the Rangers.

Yet.

He frowned down at his plate. "You could get in a lot of trouble by involving yourself with this, Katie."

A hand reached out to squeeze his gently, and he started. "That's what teammates are for, Alex," she informed him softly. "We protect each other. Maybe we didn't mean to be a team, but we are now. And I'm not going to let you stand alone in this."

He blinked rapidly for a moment. "I don't know what to say ... " he murmured at last. He'd never been good at interacting with people.

He glanced up into her warm smile. "Thank you is a good start."

* * *

It was hard to say if he was surprised to see Lucas join him as they left the status meeting a few days after Katie had first approached him. Katie had spent her lunch with him everyday without fail, chatting about her family and how she'd grown up and all sorts of details about her life he'd never known and still wasn't sure if he cared about. But this was **Lucas**. Lucas had always been very clear on how much he disliked Alex, and Alex had always been respectfully irritated by him.

He didn't say anything to draw attention to it, of course. Lucas was being deliberately casual, acting as though walking beside him was an ordinary occurrence. He may not have been sure **why** he was doing it, but he wasn't stupid enough to question it.

"Did Trip tell you he's planning to rebuild the Electro Booster?" Lucas asked suddenly, glancing at him as he pressed the call button on the elevator.

Alex frowned. "He is?"

Lucas nodded. "He's still complaining about losing the first one." He rolled his eyes, but his expression was oddly fond. "Now he's talking about making more than one, so that we each have one. That or upgrading the Chrono Blasters. He's been going back and forth."

Alex considered. "If he upgrades the Chrono Blasters permanently, we'd still need a better range of blast settings, depending on the nature of the criminal. The Electro Booster might be useful, but I'd be concerned with becoming too dependant on it."

"But having that kind of back up available isn't necessarily a bad thing, either," Lucas pointed out.

"Good to see you back in the game, Alexander," a voice purred behind him.

He stiffened, and it took serious effort to keep from reaching for his sidearm. "Commander Blakemore," he forced out, trying not to grind his teeth. So much for not wanting witnesses.

"Sir, is there something you needed?" Lucas cut in coolly. The look he gave Blakemore was the kind most people gave to a noisy child.

"Just checking up on our Rangers," Blakemore said smoothly. "Time Force likes knowing we have you at your best, after all."

Lucas' smile was glacial. "Newtech City doesn't need to worry - the Time Force Rangers will always protect it," he returned. "You'll excuse us. Sir," he added as the elevators opened.

It was all Alex could do to not to stumble after him as Lucas pulled him inside. He watched the doors close on Blakemore's outraged expression, and fought the urge to shiver. "You shouldn't have done that," he murmured.

"Not here," Lucas returned softly, watching the floor lights as he selected the appropriate button.

The elevator ride was awkwardly silent, and Alex spent most of his time trying to get his emotions back under control. Having Blakemore approach him so casually always left him shaken, no matter where he was. He knew that was why the jerk did it, but knowing didn't help get rid of the fear.

The moment the doors reopened, Lucas was back to chatting about other upgrades and possible weapons or technology Trip was working on. Some of it Alex wasn't even sure that Trip was actually considering, and he was hard-pressed to follow the conversation. But for some reason, Lucas didn't seem to be waiting for answers, just listing Trip's ideas.

The sight of his office was a welcome relief, and it was hard to keep from running to it. Instead he entered calmly, moving to partially lighten the shading on the window. Lucas followed him, and he waited until the other man had taken a seat before activating the privacy lock.

He took a deep breath, keeping his eyes on the city outside. "There are no cameras in here," he said at last. "We can speak freely."

"Does he usually come up to you like that?"

He shrugged a little. "Sometimes. He likes to make sure I don't forget."

Lucas muttered something darkly under his breath.

Alex sighed, finally turning to look at him. "Why are you here?" he asked quietly. "You have a family, Lucas. Making him think the Rangers are protecting me isn't going to keep him away from them, much less me. You're only putting yourself at risk."

There was a moment of silence as Lucas studied him, and he tried not to sigh again. Why did they keep **doing** that? It was like they were trying to read something in his face that he hadn't said. As if he hadn't become a master at shielding his expression years ago.

As if he'd ever really known **how** to show expressions.

"No one deserves what they put you through, Alex," Lucas said quietly. "Not even you."

He raised his eyebrows skeptically. "You don't really believe that."

"You don't know me well enough to know **what** I believe," Lucas retorted.

He rolled his eyes. "Point," he admitted reluctantly. "But that doesn't change the fact that you shouldn't be getting involved in this - any of you." He shook his head as a sudden ache went through him. "The moment you all came back from the past, you should have taken the Chrono Morphers and run."

"Power Rangers don't run," Lucas said flatly. "Not from bigwigs who think they know everything, and not from a teammate in need." He gave him a considering look. "Sounds like no one ever bothered to teach you what being a Ranger really means."

He pinched his nose. "Power Rangers," he ground out, "Are Time Force's private military force. That's all they've ever wanted from them. Maybe it started out as a way to protect the past and make sure that our future exists, but in the end, the Time Force Rangers are nothing more than underpaid soldiers in their pockets."

"You look like Eric."

There was something in Lucas' tone that made him look up, giving him a skeptical glance. "Trip said that, too. What are you talking about?"

"The nose thing," Lucas explained. "Eric does that. I never noticed it before, but you do kind of look like him."

"And judging by your reports, I probably act like him, too," he said dryly, remembering the less than glowing remarks the Rangers had to say about Eric Myers.

Lucas jerked in surprise, sitting up in his seat with an odd look on his face. "You do, actually," he replied, frowning. "You act a lot like him ... " He trailed off, and the look he gave Alex was making him uncomfortable.

"Was there anything else you needed?" he asked finally, turning to look out the window again.

There was a pause. "No," Lucas said finally. He heard him get up. "I should get going."

He nodded without bothering to look back. "Computer, de-activate privacy lock."

There was an answering chirp, and the barely audible sound of the doors sliding open.

"And Alex?"

He glanced back.

Lucas had paused in the doorway, one hand placed on the frame to keep it open. "You're not alone anymore," he said seriously. "And no matter what happens, we're with you."

Alex continued to stare long after the door had closed behind him.


	7. What's Left

Bonus points to anyone who figures out where Saurians came from, as well as the movie Alex and Trip are watching.

Chapter 7: What's Left

_There is nothing more pathetic than a guy spending Christmas alone_, Alex sighed to himself.

The radio was playing a galactic station with a language mix that he usually found amusing. Unfortunately more than one culture had come to enjoy the Earth holiday, and he was fairly certain he just heard someone grunting out a techno version of Jingle Bells in Saurian. There were no decorations in his apartment, other than the holofire playing a merry tune of its own he couldn't seem to turn off. Holidays were something he rarely took part in, but after spending the previous year with Jen's parents, this one felt a little lonelier than usual.

He was pretty sure she'd been trying to invite him again; Jen had been horrified when she first learned that he didn't have a family to celebrate any holidays with, and always made an effort to drag him to her own ever since. Avoiding her this year took a certain skill and determination, and in the end he wasn't quite sure if it had been worth it or not. Spending time with the Scotts would have been incredibly awkward, being that they didn't know he and Jen had even been engaged, let alone broke up - unless Jen had told them over Thanksgiving weekend, which he doubted being first of all, that she'd only returned from the past a few days earlier, and second because no one had shown up at his doorstep to ring his neck for hurting her. But being there just didn't feel right, not at after everything that had happened.

Instead it was Christmas Eve, the Rangers were all off with their families, and he was cursing at his holofire because it wouldn't stop playing an instrumental version of Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.

The knock on his door startled him into looking up. "Identify visitor," he called to the AI, frowning.

"Visitor identified as Trip Regis," the computer informed him. "Allow entry?"

"Of course." He frowned again when the door opened, revealing Trip giving him a somewhat awkward smile. "What are you doing here? Didn't Katie drag you to the Walkers' this year?"

Trip shook his head, already moving to sit on the couch. "She wanted me to, but I thought she should have a chance to spend Christmas with her family," he confessed. He looked up shyly. "And ... I wanted to spend it with mine."

He blinked, feeling inexplicably pleased. "You're always welcome," he told him after a pause, shrugging absently before turning back to the holofire.

Trip giggled behind him. "Still can't get rid of that?"

"No," he grumbled. "I've tried everything I can think of! I even started treating the stupid thing like a virus and tried purging it from the system, but it won't **stop**!"

"Did you try looking up the options?"

"And turn it to something else? No thanks."

There was a sigh, and he was gently elbowed aside. "No, I mean look up the options and find mute," Trip informed him, fingers skimming over the side panel. He paused. "Or I can put it on shuffle if you want, so you don't have to listen to the same song on repeat."

He scowled at him. "Very funny. Off. Off is good."

"If you say so," Trip said cheerfully, and moments later there was blissful silence.

"Thank you," he sighed in relief.

A minute passed, and the radio began to croon Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire in English.

Trip burst into giggles as Alex groaned. "Everyone's against me," he complained. "The world exists to see me suffer."

Trip didn't answer, and he glanced down at him in surprise, expecting to be teased. But Trip was frowning, fiddling with the strap of his backpack and staring at the floor. Alex reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. "Trip? What's wrong?"

Trip started when he touched him, looking up with wounded eyes. "I ... " He paused, shaking his head. "That wasn't funny, Alex," he murmured finally.

He sighed quietly. "I'm sorry."

Trip stared at the floor again, fists clenching. "I ... I really did think I lost you, you know," he said softly. "I couldn't sense your thoughts anymore, and then the medics were working so hard and - " He stopped, blinking rapidly. "And then you were back, and it was like you were a different person. You didn't even care that I was there - it was all about the mission."

Tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling for a moment, Alex finally let out a slow breath. "Sit down, Trip."

They each took a seat, and Alex leaned forward to rest his chin against his hands as he tried to decide what to say. "After I woke up in the labs, they put me through therapy," he said at last. "I faked my way through most of it until I was released back on restricted duty. I spent the next eight months monitoring the five of you." He saw Trip stiffen out of the corner of his eye, but didn't acknowledge it. "I watched you struggling and I tried to send help. Lucas was getting in trouble with the authorities, Katie decided to consider 2001 her home. I saw you trying to prove yourself over and over again. Jen was - " He cut himself off before he could finish the thought. "You were forgetting why you were there," he finished after a long pause. "You were so wrapped up in your new lives, you forgot where you'd come from. I had to remind you before you stopped caring completely and tried to live there permanently."

"We didn't forget!" Trip argued. "We were getting used to living there, but it doesn't mean we forgot why we came at all!"

"That's not how Time Force saw it," he muttered.

Trip paused. "Wait ... You mean **Time Force** sent you after us?"

He looked up, giving him a look. "You really think I went there on my own?"

Trip blinked for a moment, his eyes dimming as he stared at the floor again. "That changes things," he said quietly.

He sighed. "Why would it change anything?" he asked irritably. "I showed up, I tried to repair the timeline before you all forgot what you were doing and ceased to exist, and no one wanted me there. So I gave Collins back his morpher and left, and everyone was a lot happier."

Trip winced, a hand going up to his head. "I can feel that you know," he murmured.

"Feel what?"

"When you're lying. **You** weren't happier. You wouldn't be so angry about it if you were."

Alex sighed, pinching his nose before leaning back in his chair. "Trip, did any of you stop to think about how it looked to me?"

Trip frowned, and the silence lingered.

At last Alex sighed again, shaking his head and pushing himself to his feet. "Look, just ... forget it. I don't want to spend the rest of the night arguing."

"Me, either," Trip agreed softly, glancing up hesitantly.

He looked at him for a long moment. "What do you want for dinner?"

Trip brightened. "Pizza?" he asked hopefully.

"It's Christmas Eve. No one's delivering now," Alex reminded him. He paused, wrinkling his nose. "And pizza is so ... unhealthy."

"Please Alex?" Trip begged. "Can't we just look? And if no one's open, we can always try a synthetron ... "

Alex stared at him for a long moment, arms folded, before at last letting out another sigh. "I spoil you too much," he muttered. He ignored Trip's cheers as he headed for the comm to try and find a pizza place that was still open and delivered, because there was **no way** he was going out and get it.

* * *

Hours later he lay back on his couch, clutching his stomach and groaning softly. "How can you eat something so greasy?"

"You get used to it," Trip responded with a shrug, happily inhaling his fifth slice. Alex had barely managed two. "Besides, you still eat the cardboard they serve in the cafeteria," he pointed out.

"Just because it's healthy doesn't mean it's cardboard," Alex retorted. He watched Trip lick his fingers clean before reaching for yet another slice with a sick sort of fascination. "Where are you **putting** that?"

Trip laughed at him. "In my stomach. Where else would it go?"

"In your hollow leg?" he muttered, shaking his head again. "Television: on," he ordered the A.I., ignoring Trip sticking his tongue out at him.

An ancient Christmas vid was playing, and Trip lit up instantly, dropping his pizza slice back into the box. "Ooh, leave it Alex! Please?"

Alex groaned, but he didn't change the channel. "How can you stand this trash?"

"It's not trash, it's a classic," Trip corrected him, leaning against his shoulder.

He sighed, reaching up to put an arm around Trip. While he wasn't exactly a 'touchy' sort of person himself, Trip craved physical contact. It was something Alex tolerated for Trip's sake, because it wasn't worth dealing with the disappointed looks he'd get if he said no.

Trip celebrated holidays in that he loved the idea of them, that everyone was wishing for peace on Earth. He threw himself into enjoying the old traditions of singing and buying presents for his friends, but when it came to actually believing in the meaning of them, he really didn't. He just enjoyed the opportunity to have fun.

Alex, on the other hand, hated holidays almost as much as he hated religion. He had decided long ago that if there was a god, god hated him too much to be acknowledged in return. Religion was for people who needed to believe there was something beyond themselves, and holidays were an expensive excuse for those people to get drunk. Alex believed in fighting his own battles and never drank, which meant he obviously didn't need either of them.

The only good thing he could ever have said about holidays like this one was the chance to spend time with the closest thing he had to a family. Jen wasn't a part of that anymore, but Trip was and would always be as far as he was concerned. And with the Rangers gone, he could finally indulge in spending time with his best friend, and treat him like the little brother he considered him to be.

"_Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives," _the character mused on the screen._ "When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?_"

"He does," Trip murmured, cuddling under his arm. He peeked up after a moment, dark eyes solemn. "You left a hole with me, Alex."

He didn't believe that. He'd seen the way the Rangers and Collins had interacted. He'd even found the timeship logs when Collins had set the autopilot to send them back to the future against their will - the one thing Alex was grudgingly forced to admit he agreed with him on.

"_I feel like this is my home!_" Trip had screamed.

Jen had cried, pleading that she had something to tell Collins. Lucas had been stunned, Katie outraged. And it had been Collins they were all screaming for.

If anyone had left a hole in their lives, it had been him.

"You'd leave a hole in mine too, Trip," he said finally, gently tussling his hair. Trip smiled and snuggled back against him, and he continued to tug gently on the strands of green under his fingers.

_You already have_, he finished bitterly, staring blankly at the screen.


	8. Threat

A different version of the original talk Alex and Jen had. I like this one better.

Chapter 8: Threat

After two weeks of lunches with Katie, Lucas showing up at random intervals, and waking up on his couch Christmas morning with a crick in his neck and Trip halfway draped across his lap, life was becoming somewhat surreal for Alex. Sometimes he could even - almost - pretend that they really cared about him. That it wasn't just something they were doing out of obligations as Rangers. That maybe ... maybe one day they'd even be able to help him get rid of Blakemore.

But that dream ended two days after he'd spend Christmas Eve with Trip, when he walked into his office and found Blakemore sitting in his chair.

There was a good minute of Blakemore smirking at him before he finally managed to find something to say. "What are you doing here?"

Blakemore smiled, lifting a folder and reading aloud from it. "Captain Jennifer Scotts, twenty-one years old, daughter of Peter and Keith Scotts." There was a pause as Blakemore made a face at Jen's fathers' names, and Alex tried not to clench his fists. The usual Time Force prejudice against Peter Scotts' job with the NCPD was practically archaic, and Jen's parents were well-known and liked in the community. They'd always been nice to him after he'd met them, and he had wondered once what it would be like, being part of that family.

"Lieutenant Lucas Kendall, twenty-one years old, son of Mark and Danielle Kendall, mother deceased. Sister Abigail, sixteen years old," Blakemore went on. "Lieutenant Katrina Walker, also twenty-one years old, daughter of David and Jasmine Walker. Siblings are George, twenty-six years old, Annabelle, twenty-four years old, James, twenty-two years old, Michaela, nineteen years old, and Brett, eighteen years old. Squad Leader Trip Regis ... well, we already know all about him, don't we?" Blakemore looked up with a smile. "Shall I go on?"

"What do you want?" Alex ground out.

"It's simple, Alexander." Blakemore leaned forward, steepling his fingers together as his smile vanished. "It's always been simple. You will stop fraternizing with the other Time Force Rangers. They are your subordinates, nothing more. If you do not, we'll have to get ... persuasive."

"And what makes you think I see them as more than subordinates now?" he retorted, leaning against a wall indifferently.

"You'd better." Blakemore stood, his eyes narrowing. "Time Force will have it's Rangers, Alexander. And Rangers don't. Need. 'Friends'."

"Rangers, or me?" he returned coldly.

For some reason, that made Blakemore smile. "Now you've got the picture." He came closer, and it was hard for Alex to keep himself from moving away. "I don't want you distracted from what you are," Blakemore said softly. "You are Time Force's Red Ranger. That is all you are, and all you will ever need to be."

Alex snorted, ignoring the cold ache in his chest. "You mean I'm your replacement for Wesley Collins. You can't have him, so you made me instead."

Blakemore laughed, reaching out to pat his head. "That's my boy," he said condescendingly. "Now you've got the picture."

Alex watched him take his files and leave, not bothering to move from his place against the wall. It wasn't until long after Blakemore was gone, his privacy lock in place, that he shuddered violently and rubbed at his hair, feeling dirty. His stomach rebelled, and for a moment he curled in on himself, covering his mouth as he tried to keep his breakfast in place.

When he looked up, his eyes found the skyline again. He stared at it for a moment, then suddenly shook his head.

"Computer, de-activate privacy lock," he ordered, pushing himself away from the wall. He strode briskly through the doors and to the elevator, already unzipping his jacket.

Time Force could hang itself today. He didn't care anymore; he was getting out of here.

The whole city could fall apart for all he cared.

* * *

He kicked absently at the wall as he left the shower, toweling dry his hair. Stupid water heater - never lasted long enough. He paused in front of the sink, his hand stopping just before reaching for his gel. Why was he even bothering with it? He wasn't going anywhere. What did it matter what his hair looked like now?

He threw the towel in the laundry shoot, grabbing an apple from the kitchen and flopping in his favorite chair. "Television: on," he ordered.

He channel surfed for awhile, irritation growing as nothing caught his interest. It figured that the one time he decided to try being 'normal' and watch the stupid thing, it remained as boring as he'd ever found it to be. Why did people stare at this stupid thing, anyway?

He froze at the knock on his door. No ... Blakemore couldn't have followed him home, had he? Was someone trying to bring him back to work?

"Identify visitor," he called, swallowing as his voice shook slightly.

"Visitor identified as Jen Scotts," the computer chimed perkily. "Allow entry?"

Jen? What was she doing here?

"Yes," he said at last. There was no point in leaving her standing out there, really.

Jen looked started when the door opened. "Alex? What ... are you all right?" she asked warily.

He shrugged. "I'm taking the day off. What are you doing here?"

She came in hesitantly, at last allowing the door to close behind her. "It's my day off," she said slowly, still giving him that weird look. "I though you were working today."

"I was." He shrugged again. "I'm not now."

"Did something happen?"

He considered that for a moment. Had something happened? Nothing unusual, he decided finally. "Not really."

Her eyes narrowed a little. "Not really?" she repeated skeptically. "Alex, you never miss work."

"What are you doing here?" he cut in. Why was she avoiding the question? And what did it matter if he'd decided he didn't want to deal with the world today, anyway?

Jen hesitated, her right hand coming up to play with her left ring finger. It was an odd move, and he wondered when she'd started doing that. "I went to see you in your office, but you weren't there," she said at last. "So I came here." She swallowed. "Alex, we need to talk."

"I'd rather not." He turned back to the television. It may be boring, but it was better than getting into another conversation - especially one with Jen. He wasn't ready to deal with her just yet.

Deal with her? Good grief, he was starting to sound like Bl - like one of **them**.

He heard her sigh. "Alex, would you please look at me? We can't keep avoiding each other forever."

"Seems to be working so far."

She moved to stand in front of him, and it was suddenly hard to focus with his eyes on her stomach. "No, it isn't," she said sharply, frowning down at him. "This is getting ridiculous."

He finally glanced up and found that didn't improve the view any. "What else is there to say? You've made your point, and I've made mine."

"Made my ... " She looked incredulous. "What point? I tried to tell you I wanted to get to know you better before I could agree to marry you, and you told me that Time Force is blackmailing you and why. What **point** was that?"

"The point was ... was .... " He swallowed, looking away. "Look, if we're going to do this, would you mind sitting down?"

"Sitting down?" she echoed. There was a pause, and she gave him an amused look he pretended not to see. "Sure," she agreed at last, right before sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of him.

Silence lingered as they both searched for something to say. "What do you want from me?" Alex asked at last. He looked up at her as she started. "What do you want me to say, Jen? I just ... " He shook his head. "I don't know what you're looking for."

She stared at him, and something about her expression seemed hurt. "Honestly?" she asked softly.

He shrugged a little and nodded. "I guess."

" ... I want you."

He stared at her, and she smiled a little. "I never stopped loving you, Alex. No matter what you may have thought, I've always loved you. But I've realized that I don't know you as well as I thought I did, and that ... " She hesitated, swallowing, and he thought he saw a suspicious shine in her eyes. "That hurts," she admitted. "If you can't be honest with me, the person you said you wanted to marry, who can you be honest with? And how can I trust you if you're not honest?"

He closed his eyes and sighed quietly. That was it, then. She wanted honesty, and he couldn't give her that. With so many things trapping him in the life he was leading, he couldn't always tell her the truth. He'd thought that once, she might have loved him enough to let it go. To care about him enough though he kept things from her.

He held in a snort. Once trip to the past, one person, and everything she'd accepted about their relationship wasn't good enough anymore.

He'd never hated anyone - not even Blakemore - as much as he hated Wesley Collins.

The hand that suddenly covered his startled him, and he flinched back in surprise.

Jen was closer than he'd expected her to be, watching him worriedly. "Alex, what other secrets do you have?" she asked softly. "What else is there that you don't want to tell me?"

He didn't even realize he was shaking his head until her other hand touched his cheek to stop him. "Alex, I **don't care** about how you grew up, or what made you who you are," she insisted. She frowned a little. "Well I do, but - " She sighed, looking frustrated.

"I care that Time Force has been using you for years," she said at last. "And I care that someone hurt you so badly. I care that people are **still** trying to hurt you. But it's not your fault that these things happened, and it doesn't make me love you any less." She paused, her eyes searching his. "I just want to know who you really are, Alex," she finished softly.

_I'm Wesley Collin's replacement, nothing more, nothing less._

"There's nothing else to know." It sounded flat even to his own ears, and he tried not to wince.

"Nothing else to know, or nothing else you want **me** to know?" she retorted, eyes flashing.

He didn't answer, and she made a frustrated noise. "Why can't you trust me?" she demanded.

"Because you chose **him**!" he shouted back before he could stop himself.

They both froze.

Alex swallowed, slowly and deliberately. He pushed himself to his feet, maneuvering around her toward the kitchen. "Maybe you should just go," he muttered.

A hand caught his arm. "Oh, no," she growled. "You got away with that once, Alex. I'm not leaving, especially after something like that. What do you mean, 'I chose him'?"

He closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths. His control over his temper was slipping further than it already had, and the last thing he needed was to drive her further away.

Or was it?

Blakemore wanted the Rangers away from him, right? If he wanted to protect Jen's parents, protect all of their families, the best way to do that would be to tell her the truth wouldn't it? The other three - well, Katie and Lucas would rally around Jen the moment he hurt her enough, and Trip loved his friends too much to really chose Alex over them.

Katie would protect Trip. He'd already seen how much she mothered him between watching over them and in that short span of time he'd bullied his way into their team before. Trip would be safe. They all would.

He turned slowly to meet Jen's angry stare, keeping his face cold and uncaring. "You chose Wes over me," he said quietly. "You were satisfied with me until you knew him. And then suddenly I wasn't good enough for you anymore - any of you. Wes is a better Ranger, a better friend, and apparently a better boyfriend. He's the one everyone's always wanted."

She reeled back, staring at him in shock, and he drove the final point home with a sick sense of satisfaction. "I was born because Time Force couldn't have Wesley Collins. I exist to keep his morpher from becoming useless. I've taken his morpher, his team, and almost his girl. But the moment you all met the real thing, I became useless."

Her eyes were beginning to feel with tears. "That's ... That's not - "

"I gave my life for Time Force," he cut her off, eyes narrowing. "And when I came back to 2001 to make sure you all remembered what you were really fighting for, before you got wrapped up in life as civilians living in the past, all you wanted was for Wes to come back. I've got news for you, Jennifer: I'm **not** Wes. And I never will be. So whatever you're missing about him? Get over it. You won't find it with me."

He heard the sound echoing through his apartment before the stinging in his face registered that she'd slapped him.

"I ... I ... " She struggled for words for a moment, glared, and spun on her heel to run from the room.

He reached up to rub his cheek distantly. "Activate door lock," he murmured, moving to flop back down into his chair. He went back to staring blankly at the television, waiting for the feeling that he'd done the right thing to sink in.

Somehow, he had a feeling he'd be waiting a long time.


	9. Memories

Another chapter that's changed a bit from the original, and is now much improved.

More of my attempts at creating the Xybrian Language:

_Aio ii Ha'lisha'na'ca't'arr'ah_ - Am I Ha'lisha'na'ca't'arr'ah

_Na'rae gis aeo rusolu teo pu_ - What are of asking you me

Chapter 9:Memories

Once he might have said that a week without the Rangers hovering around him would have been heaven. No Katie babbling through his lunches, no Lucas showing up to escort him places like he needed someone to hold his hand. No Jen trying to talk to him. No Trip trying to pretend that everything was okay or guilt trip him over things that they did to **him**.

But now it was just lonely. Spending New Year's Eve alone in his apartment with something carbonated, staring at his television, just made him feel like even more of a jerk. He hadn't realized that was possible.

He also hadn't realized how much he was actually starting to appreciate their presence in such a short period of time. Which was strange, being that he'd never had ... 'friends' before. He wasn't sure he could ever have called them his friends to begin with. Jen had always been more than a friend in his eyes, and Trip was ... well, that was different. The idea that he'd become so attached to the idea of having them around was more than slightly troubling, and he found himself trying to fall back into old habits of being cold and uncaring of anyone or anything. It was harder than it should have been.

Ranger Drills were more of a form of torture than any sort of team building exercise, and Logan was appalled at their lack of progress. More than once he'd lectured them, tried to demand answers as to what just was going on. Jen only said "Nothing, Sir. We'll try harder tomorrow. Is that all?" every time he asked.

Alex chose not to speak at all.

While the team training was pathetic, Alex had developed his own personal regimen based off the exercises that had been used to test his personal and morphed capabilities from the beginning of the Morpher Project. Between his usual paperwork and his training, he had barely anytime to talk to anyone, and practically collapsed on his couch the moment he got home, too exhausted to make it to his bedroom. His nights were filled with dreams of his childhood, of trauma and failed experiments, but his skills and physical ability were quickly becoming honed to perfection.

The only upside of the whole mess was Blakemore's apparent happiness with the development. He still paused in hallways to greet Alex, smiling with calculated poison and telling him what a good boy he was, but his interest in the other Rangers had disappeared as quickly as it began. He had Alex in the palm of his hand, and as long as his pet obeyed, everyone else remained safe.

That was all that mattered.

"The lack of progress you've made in working as a team is ridiculous and pathetic," Logan lectured as he paced the line they'd made once again. "I don't know what the problem is between you all, but it's going to stop." He paused, eyeing them, but no one so much as twitched.

"To try yet again to change this," he continued at last, "We've come up with a new exercise for you. An emergency signal has been placed somewhere in the building, along with specific instructions on how to deactivate it. You may use any strategy or equipment you like to get you there, as long as the mission is completed. Good luck."

Jen saluted. "Thank you, sir."

"Dismissed."

There was silence as they took the elevator up to 'Ranger Tower' as Trip and Kate had dubbed it - the area set aside specifically for the Rangers to house their equipment for monitoring the city. After a few minutes Alex finally realized why, and held in the sigh that threatened to escape. Instead he looked at Jen. "What's the plan?"

She looked startled for barely a moment before her eyes narrowed in determination. "Trip, I want you to download the information on deactivating the signal, and track it down. Once we know where it is, we'll split up - "She paused, frowning, then abruptly shook her head. "No. It's better if we move in as a team."

"Won't that take longer?" Lucas spoke up, giving her an odd look.

"We can't guarantee there won't be any traps along the way. We have a better chance if we work together," she told him. She shook her head again. "It's not a good idea for any of us to be alone right now."

She was right, but Alex was slightly surprised when she eyed him. He raised his eyebrows. "What?"

She started to shake her head once again, then seemed to stop herself. "You're okay with this?" she asked after a moment.

"With what?"

She hesitated. "This. Me."

He frowned for a moment, then sighed as he finally caught on. "Your team. Your call," he informed her. "I'm only here because I have to be."

Her eyes narrowed again, but the door opened on their floor before she could say anything, and he was already following Trip.

As expected, Trip took hardly any time at all to find what they were looking for. He was already telling them all what it looked like and how to deactivate it when they saw it when he suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, staring at the readout in front of him in horror.

"Trip?" Katie broke in, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

He jumped, whirling to stare at her with wide eyes. "I ... I - "

"What is it?" Lucas demanded.

Alex leaned around to check the screen and felt chills run down his spine as he saw the location. Darn him. Couldn't resist the opportunity, could he? He was actually going to make them - make **Trip** ...

"Change in plans," he said abruptly, heading for the door. "You four stay here. I'll find the signal."

"What do you think you're doing?" Jen demanded, grabbing his arm. "My team, my call, remember?"

He shook his head, jerking his arm free. "Not anymore," he told her flatly. "This is my territory."

"Alex ... "

He looked up at Trip, and found himself offering a reassuring smile. "It'll be okay, Trip," he said softly. "I can handle this. Just stay here, all right?"

Trip looked torn, despite the obvious fear in his eyes. "But Alex - "

He shook his head. "Stay here, Trip. You can keep an eye out for me."

"I'm coming with you," Jen growled as she marched after him.

He turned to scowl at her. "No, you're not. This has nothing to do with you. Blakemore meant this exercise for me."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" she demanded incredulously. "I wasn't kidding when I said I didn't want anyone to be alone right now!"

"I'm **always** alone!" he snapped back.

There was an ugly pause, and he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I'm doing this, and you're not coming with me."

"And what makes you think you have the right to - "

"Stop it!"

They both froze, looking at Trip in shock. He was shaking as Katie tried to calm him, whether in fear or anger even Alex couldn't say. He glared at them both, but the tears he was fighting ruined the effect. "Alex, please," he begged. "Don't you see this is exactly what he wanted? He's trying to separate you from us!"

He swallowed without meaning to, and felt Jen's eyes on him.

"You knew," she whispered, staring at him. "You ... Blakemore's been trying to get you away from us all this time, and you knew!"

He looked away, trying not to fidget. "Of course I did," he muttered finally.

"Then why?" Jen shouted at him. "Why won't you let us help you?!" She drew in a ragged breath, blinking hard.

"It's us." Lucas' words were soft, but his penetrating stare was discerning. "When Blakemore first came up to you while I was there, you said I was putting myself at risk." He paused, and his eyes narrowed when Alex said nothing. "That's it, isn't it? You think he's threatening us."

"I don't **think**," he returned coldly. He forced himself to look Lucas in the eye. "You have a sister to worry about, Lucas. My problems are none of your business."

"And what about **my** brother, Alex?" Trip demanded. He was in front of him before Alex had a chance to move away, glaring up at him. "Don't I have a right to protect him?"

He grit his teeth. If they thought they were going to get through to him like this, they were wasting their time. "Your brother," he said carefully, "Is already protecting **you**." He hesitated, and his voice dropped down to a whisper before he could stop himself. "Don't take that away from him, Trip."

Trip shook his head, still glaring. "So I'm supposed to let them take you away from me instead?"

"This is because you think you're Wes' replacement, isn't it?"

He started at Katie's words, turning to look at her as she frowned at him. "What?"

"When you threw your morpher at Lucas, you called yourself Wesley Collins' replacement," she told him. "And when you told us - " She hesitated. "When you told us about ... how you grew up, you said that Time Force wanted you to be Wes, but you weren't." Her eyes narrowed again. "Who were you trying to convince, Alex? Us, or **yourself**?"

He shook his head slowly. He could feel himself starting to tremble, and fought to keep it under control. "We don't have time for this. I need to go take care of that signal."

Katie snorted, but something in her eyes was sad. "You mean yes."

He pinched his nose in frustration. "I **mean**, I'm going to take care of the signal before Logan starts calling to ask what's taking us so long."

"You can't go alone!" Trip burst out. "That's - Alex, it's in the labs!"

He took a calming breath, fighting the shudder that threatened to run through him as the other three started. "I know that, Trip," he said quietly. "That's why you're not going."

"He's right," Jen said abruptly. "Trip, I want you to stay here and monitor our progress. Katie, you stay with him, just in case. Lucas, you and I are going with Alex."

"Right," Lucas and Katie agreed.

Alex clenched his fists to keep from throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Fine!" he snarled at last. "Let's just get this over with."

He felt Jen's hand on his arm again as he headed for the door. "This conversation isn't over with, Alex," she warned softly. "Once we're done with this, we **will** be finishing it."

"Fine," he said shortly. _Not if I see you coming._

There was a pause. "Let's go," she said finally.

* * *

He barely registered the startled gasp from Pink Ranger as they passed through the Hall of Remembrance. He'd walked the hall too many times to care, and his eyes were still on the door at the end. The door that was getting closer, no matter how much he wanted it to go away.

"This is sick," Blue Ranger muttered, glancing around them. "This is really sick."

The door opened to the old passcode he entered, which didn't surprise him somehow. Blakemore and his twisted sense of humor. Probably thought Alex would 'appreciate' the reminder.

The lab was cleaner than he remembered. A lot of the old equipment was missing, but the tables, the larger medical tools, and the test areas were still there. He approached the main test area, staring through the window. The scorch marks still seemed to be there, and his mind quickly filled in the details as he lifted a hand, pressing it against the glass.

-- _He squeezed off another shot, watching impassively as more blasts streaked toward the Quantum Ranger. He thought he cared about this once. Didn't like it even. It was life, but the only reason it bothered him now was that he knew what would happen when it was over. Not that __**he**__ cared - he had the Power again, and that was all he cared about._

_There was the tell-tale flash of red as the Quantum Ranger disappeared, and Ben crumpled to the floor. He holstered his Chrono Morpher and powered down himself. The test was over when one of them fell. He wasn't sure which test was next, but it didn't really matter._

_Then the silence reached his ears._

_He turned slowly to stare at his brother. He wasn't moving, but that was nothing new. The closed eyes weren't unusual, either. It was the silence that vaguely bothered him. Ben was never silent when he failed a test. He yelled, complained, demanded, argued. He was never ... quiet._

_"Oh, for Christ's sake." Dr. Lindon muttered._

_He approached Ben cautiously, crouching beside him. He checked his pulse as they'd taught him, only to find it slow and weak. It was there, but ... Ben was still unconscious._

_He stared down at him. This wasn't part of training. He wasn't supposed to just stop._

_"Someone get him out of there!" Blakemore snapped._

_Someone was pulling Ben away, and a hand slapped him when he tried to protest, tried to hold onto him. Ben just need a moment, that was all. He'd be up any second now. Couldn't they see that? Why were they dragging him away like that? If they just gave him a moment ..._

_"Stupid brat."_

_"Trying to get out of training."_

_"Physical compensation lasts three months."_

_"I was sure we'd get more of out of him than that."_

_He stayed where he was, staring at where Ben's body had been dragged limply along. This wasn't part of training. He wasn't supposed to stop. The doctors didn't say they could go yet. He was going to wake up as soon as they let him have a few minutes to recover, right?_

_"Jesus, Subject A's going into shock."_

_"Someone write this down!"_ --

"Alex!"

His mind slowly drew back into the present. Pink Ranger was standing beside him, her hand on his arm. Every line of her body radiated tension. "I'm all right," he muttered. "I'm ... I'm fine."

She was saying something else, but he'd already turned to look over the rest of the room. He wandered away from her, watching one of the tables that rested innocently in the middle of the room. The tray of surgical instruments was gone, but the bright overhead light was still there.

Another memory swelled in his mind.

-- _He couldn't really see the other boy from his side of the room, but he could definitely hear him._

_"_Aeo ii Ha'lisha'na'ca't'arr'ah! Aeo ii Ha'lisha'na'ca't'arr'ah! Aeo ii Ha'lisha'na'ca't'arr'ah!_"_

_Somewhere, part of his mind acknowledged that the boy was trying to tell them his name. He thought they were torturing him. He wasn't sure why, though. They wanted to know how he worked. Names didn't have anything to do with that._

_He wished there was something he could do. The boy had seemed so sweet, so shy when they'd met. He was just a little kid - practically a baby. He'd wanted to protect him, but he couldn't hide him fast enough. They found him almost the moment they realized the big box thingy he came in was open._

Tonight_, he decided._ Tonight I'll show him how to hide, and where the best painkillers are. That'll make him feel better. Right?

Maybe then he'll like me.

_"_Aeo ii Ha'lisha'na'ca't'arr'ah!_" The boy was sobbing now. "_Na'rae gis aeo rusolu teo pu?!_"_

_"For crying out loud, someone shut him up." Dr. Harper grumbled._

_"Why the hell does he keep singing?" Dr. Jamison wondered._ --

A hand was pulling hard on his arm again, and he glanced at over Pink Ranger. "Alex!" she shouted, tears audible in her voice. "Alex, **please**!"

"Please what?" he asked, blinking down at her.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Her arms were around him before he realized it, and she was squeezing tight. "Alex, stay with me, okay? Just ... just focus on me right now. Don't worry about anything else, okay?"

He smiled a little behind his helmet. "Okay," he agreed, leaning his head against her shoulder. It wasn't comfortable on his back, but he liked the way her arms came up around him. It was nice. Soothing.

"Got it!" Blue Ranger shouted from somewhere. "Mission complete!"

Pink Ranger breathed out another prayer of thanks, her hand rubbing against his back. "Alex? It's time to go, okay?" she said softly. "Let's go home."

He wanted to laugh. Home. What home? He didn't have one of those. "Sure, Jen," he murmured, letting her take his hand.

Jen knew what to do. Jen always knew. She was really an amazing woman.

Too bad she didn't love him.

But that was okay. As long as he could love her, at least he knew he wasn't completely gone. Because experiments couldn't love, right?

* * *

He wasn't sure why the sight of Jen practically throwing the signal device at Logan's desk was funny, but it was.

"If you ever," she snarled, "Allow Commander Blakemore to be involved in another one of these of 'team exercises' again, I swear I'll leave Time Force for good. And if I go, my team is going with me."

Logan stared at her. "You - you can't - "

"Watch me," she growled. "I don't know who's side you're on, Captain, but I can tell you right now: this is **my** team, **my** squad, and **my** Rangers. And I'll **never** let Time Force hurt any of them again. Do you understand me?"

"Quite frankly, no," Logan snapped back. "And I don't take kindly to threats, either."

"It's not a threat, **Sir**. It's a promise." Her eyes narrowed. "If Blakemore or any of his people come near my team again, we're gone. No second chances. He's hurt them enough."

Logan's eyes snapped to him, and he felt Lucas shift slightly beside him, moving to a more protective stance. "Don't you have anything to say about this, Collins?"

He shrugged. "This is Jen's team. We follow her orders."

Logan's eyebrows shot up. "We?"

"That's right," Lucas put in. "**We**."

Logan stared at them for a long moment before shaking his head. "I can't help any of you if I don't know what's going on," he said at last, his voice quiet again.

Jen's stare was cold. "With all do respect, maybe you should find out for yourself. Sir."

His stare turned to stunned disbelief. "You really don't trust me, do you?"

She never hesitated, and Alex had never been more proud of her. "I don't know who I can trust anymore. A Ranger's duty is to the team first - I won't let my teammates be hurt again."

Alex wondered absently if clenching one's jaw that tightly was damaging.

"Fine. Dismissed." Logan managed at last.

Jen took Alex's arm as they left, gently pulling him along with her. Lucas followed, keeping a suspicious eye out for anyone watching them. In a blatant disregard of protocol, none of them bothered to salute as they left.


	10. Family

This chapter was written under the assumption that first of all, the other four Time Force Rangers haven't been seen around Newtech City yet, and also that their trip to the past was 'classified' information. It was also written after deciding that Jen's family is fun to characterize. -Grins-

And yes, I couldn't resist making the family connection here. -Looks sheepish-

For Makia Durron, who made me smile when I woke up and asked for updates to this and Bright Skies. Which **will** be updated! ... Once A Darker Shade of Red catches up to it. c.c;;

Chapter 10:Family

When she said the conversation wasn't over, he assumed he would have a day or two to gather his thoughts, to figure out what he was going to say - or at the very least, make himself scarce to avoid the whole issue for as long as possible. He wasn't expecting her to lead him down to the main entrance to Time Force the moment they left Logan's office, pausing to wait as Trip and Katie joined them. He definitely wasn't expecting to follow Lucas to the parking lot, or to find himself pushed into the back seat of a blue convertible.

He tried to protest. "Wait, what - "

"Get in," Jen said firmly. "We're not talking about this here."

He found himself pinned between the door and Trip a few minutes later, Jen on Trip's other side. Katie had taken the front seat, and Lucas was already pulling out onto the street. Trip leaned into him, and he wrapped an arm around him automatically.

"Where are we going?" he called a few minutes later, not sure if anyone could hear him.

"My parents' house," Jen returned. "We're not talking where Time Force can hear us."

His eyes widened in alarm. "Jen - "

"If anyone even thinks about touching them, they'll have me to deal with," she returned flatly. "Besides, Dad and Papa aren't exactly helpless."

Peter Scotts was a lieutenant of the Newtech City Police Department, and considered to be one of the most highly-decorated members of his unit. He'd taught Jen self-defense since she was little, and despite the animosity between Time Force and the NCPD, had been the strongest supporter of her decision to join Time Force. He claimed that law enforcement was a family tradition, and Jen was following in her ancestors' footsteps. It was trying to live up to that legacy that had left Jen lacking the self-confidence she'd needed when Alex first met her.

Keith on the other hand, was a stay-at-home parent and full-time writer. He wrote children's stories, and Jen had told him more than once about how much she'd loved listening to them growing up. He was a good man, and while not exactly helpless himself - Peter had made sure of that - fighting wasn't exactly his style. On the other hand, Keith, unlike Peter and Jen, had no qualms about calling for help when he needed it.

He sighed. "I don't like this," he muttered finally.

"I don't think we're giving you a choice, Alex," Trip returned, snuggling into his side.

He gave him a dirty look, but Trip wasn't even looking at him.

The drive to the suburbs was prettier than he remembered, and he tried to think about the last time he actually saw Jen's parents. It was before he'd proposed ... Last January maybe? Definitely after Jen got promoted to Squad Leader - Peter had been so thrilled they'd gone out to dinner to celebrate. At least a year now ...

The house looked exactly the same as he remembered it, other than that the plants around the windows had grown a little more. The lawn needed to be mowed again, which meant Peter had probably been putting it off as usual. But the rest of the house hadn't changed at all, and it made him wonder at how well he knew Jen's parents to realize that.

Jen paused as she got out of the car, her eyes looking over the yard and house itself with a hint of wistfulness that still seemed to come over all of them every once in awhile, despite the fact that they'd been home for almost two months now. It took Katie's hand on her shoulder to bring her out of it, and she offered a slightly shaky smile to them all. "Well ... let's go in."

She didn't bother to knock as she pressed her palm to the door, the print lock admitting her instantly. She'd told him once that her parents had always insisted that no matter where she was in her life, they'd never forgive her if she tried to knock when she came home. "Papa? Dad?" she called. "It's Jenny. I brought some friends home with me."

"Jenny!" Keith practically burst out of his office, rushing to engulf his daughter in a tight hug. "Oh, it's good to see you. How've you been?"

She buried her face against his shoulder, clinging tight. "M'fine, Papa," she murmured, voice muffled. "I saw you a week ago, you know." But she made no move to pull away.

They were stuck in the year 2000 for ten months, Alex reminded himself. Practically nothing for a Time Force officer, really - but Jen hadn't seen her parents for almost a year. At some point, she may have wondered if she'd **ever** see them again.

They probably all had.

Keith was studying her with a slight frown when she finally pulled away, reaching up to stroke her cheek. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

She managed a smile. "I'm fine, Papa. Really. I just missed you."

"Is that my little girl I'm hearing?"

Jen's smile widened as she turned. "Dad! Oomph!"

She laughed as she was squeezed so tight he lifted her off her feet, wrapping her arms tight around Peter's neck. "I missed you too Dad, but I need to breathe!"

Peter set her down, grinning broadly. "It's about time you came home again! Doesn't Time Force allow days off?"

Her smile faltered slightly. "I'm sorry, Dad. We've ... we've just been really busy lately. A lot of things I can't really talk about." She swallowed, and the smile grew bright again. "But that's why I brought my team home with me, so we could all get a break. And I wanted you to meet Lucas and Trip."

"Your team?" Keith echoed, looking curious.

She nodded, turning to gesture to the rest of them. "This is my Ranger team. You know Katie and Alex, but this is Lucas Kendall, and Trip Regis."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Keith said with a smile.

"It's an honor, Sir," Trip said eagerly.

Lucas nodded in agreement, but his own response was cut off as Peter broke in with "Ranger team? You have a **Ranger** team?"

Jen flushed. "Yes. I, um - I'm a Power Ranger."

Peter grabbed her in another bear hug as she shrieked in surprise, roaring in delight. "Keith, did you hear that? Our little girl! She's a - "

"I heard," Keith interrupted, looking amused but just as proud. "What Color, Jenny?"

"Pink," she wheezed, swatting Peter away as he finally set her down. "Lucas is Blue, Katie's Yellow, Trip's Green, and Alex is Red."

"But Jen is our leader," Alex felt obliged to point out.

Peter laughed heartily, wrapping an arm around Jen's shoulder despite her protests. "Of course she is!" he boasted. "Pink, Red, or Yellow, it's still in her blood!"

Jen gave him an odd look, pausing in her squirming to get free. "What are you talking about, Dad?"

He blinked at her, then scowled. "You can't tell me you forgot all those stories I told you when you were little, about the Power Rangers."

She frowned. "Of course not. You always said our family was descended from Rangers."

"Not just **any** Rangers," Peter corrected. "We're descended from the **first** Red Ranger of Earth."

"And one of the Yellow Rangers," Keith reminded him.

Peter waved a hand dismissively, beaming with pride. "There's still leadership in our blood."

Keith raised an eyebrow, folding his arms. "So you're saying **my** side doesn't matter, then."

Peter's eyes widened, and Jen ducked away from him with a laugh. "You asked for that one, Dad," she teased, moving to kiss Keith's cheek. "And I'm proud of **both** sides of my family," she assured him.

Keith smiled, squeezing her lightly. "So are you all here just for dinner, or do we get to keep you?"

Her smile turned slightly sheepish. "I was sort of hoping you wouldn't mind if we spent the night. We really needed to get away for awhile."

"Of course not." He kissed her temple, pausing to tuck some hair behind her ear. "You're always welcome here Jenny, you know that. The same goes for your friends." He smiled. "And I haven't made corn chowder for Katie in ages."

Katie brightened instantly. "You're the **best**, Mr. Scotts!"

"What's corn chowder?" Trip wondered.

"The best soup you'll ever try, especially when Jen's papa makes it," Katie assured him, squeezing his arm. "Trust me."

Trip looked puzzled. "Why wouldn't I trust you, Katie?"

Alex nearly jumped as Peter clapped a hand against his shoulder. "So how have you been, Alex? Still keeping an eye on my little girl?"

He had to remind himself for a moment that Peter and Keith hadn't known he and Jen had ever been serious - they'd barely had a chance to tell them they were dating before they'd both been bogged down with work. "I do my best, Sir," he said solemnly. He glanced at Jen out of the corner of his eye. "When she lets me, at least."

Jen rolled her eyes, and Peter laughed. "That's my girl," he said affectionately. "Doesn't let anyone tell her what to do."

"That's for sure," he muttered without meaning to. He started when Peter laughed. Trip and Katie giggled, Lucas gave him an amused look, and Jen scowled at him.

"I'd better get started on dinner," Keith chuckled. "You kids let us know if you need anything."

"We will, Papa," Jen assured him. "We'll just be in my room. We've got some things we need to talk about."

"Door open," Peter warned.

Jen and Keith gave him matching looks of exasperation. "She's twenty-one, and there's five of them, Pete. Cut them some slack," Keith told him. He gave Jen a smile, ruffling her hair. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart. If you need some privacy, go ahead and close your door. I'll find something for him to do."

Jen leaned over to kiss his cheek again. "Thanks, Papa." She tilted her head for the rest of them to follow, ignoring Peter's cry of "But - but Keith! My baby girl!"


	11. Acceptance

Yes, it's another Alex Nervous Breakdown. Apparently I enjoy giving them to the poor boy. I is evil.

Chapter 11:Acceptance

"We shouldn't have come here," Alex muttered, pacing Jen's bedroom before she'd even shut the door. "It's not safe."

"I feel safer here than I do at Time Force," she returned. "And I wouldn't put it past them to have surveillance on our rooms."

He paused at the thought, closing his eyes and turning to hit his head against the wall. "Thanks, Jen," he muttered irritably. "Now I'll never be able to sleep in my apartment again."

"You barely sleep as it is," Trip reminded him. "You're getting circles under your eyes."

He glanced at him, but Trip was still frowning. "You're not sleeping enough, Alex," he repeated. "And don't lie - I can tell."

It was hard not to demand to know why he cared.

"Alex, how long ago did Blakemore threaten you?" Katie asked suddenly, frowning at him.

_He didn't threaten __**me**_, he wanted to say. _I wouldn't care if it was me_. Instead he just shrugged a little.

Jen's eyes narrowed as she folded her arms. "It happened the day I came to see you at your apartment last week, didn't it?" she demanded. "You said you'd been working but you weren't now, and you wouldn't tell me why."

Lucas studied him with a look he couldn't read. "And you've been avoiding us for a week," he commented pointedly.

He felt his jaw clench without meaning to, and moved to look out the room's window. For a moment, he entertained the thought of just ignoring them all. They were always ready to get of him when he started acting like a jerk. If he pushed just enough ...

A hand settled on his arm. He started wildly, spinning into a defensive stance, and glared. His breath was fast, and he could hear his heart pounding.

Jen stared at him, her eyes wide.

It took a moment for him to breathe deeply enough to calm, and his heart was still pounding as he forced himself to relax. "**Don't**. Sneak up on me," he warned her.

Her mouth worked soundlessly for a moment. "Alex ... " she whispered at last.

He took another deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment as he centered himself. They were all watching him when he opened them again, and he fought the urge to sigh. "What do you want me to say?" he asked finally, feeling defeated. Déja vu hit him - hadn't he already asked Jen that same question?

"The truth," Lucas retorted immediately.

He gave him a skeptical look and finally shook his head. "No, you don't. You just think you do."

"Don't tell us what we think, Alex," Katie told him, glaring as she moved closer. "We may not know you that well, but you don't know **us**, either."

He started to protest and frowned, thinking. He could recite statistics about each of them off the top of his head in an instant. He could tell them more about their morphers than **they** probably knew. He knew the things they'd told him, whether on purpose or not. What else **did** he know?

"I know the only thing more important to Katie than her family is Collins and the three of you, because she thinks of you **as** family," he said slowly. "I know that she's been worried because her brother Brett has been getting into trouble lately, and her parents don't know what to do with him. I know Lucas hates people telling him what to do without saying why - which actually makes me wonder why you ever joined Time Force. I know Jen. I know Trip tries so hard because he thinks he has something to prove." He swallowed without meaning to, and felt his eyes burn. "And I know that you all miss Wes more than you want to say in front of me."

It surprised him when it was Lucas who finally broke the long silence. "Then you should also know that we're worried about **you**," he informed him. He hesitated, sighed, and glanced away. "You're not the person I thought you were. And I'm starting to realize that."

Katie nodded quickly in agreement, moving even closer to slowly put a hand on his arm. "And we want to help you, Alex. We just need you to let us," she told him softly.

He glanced over at Trip, who gave him a rueful smile. "I've always been on your side," he said simply.

He felt his free hand being squeezed, and looked to Jen in surprise. She gave a tentative smile of her own that warmed a little as he stared at her. "I told you before. I just want to know the real you, Alex."

There was a lump in his throat he couldn't seem to swallow. Her eyes were hopeful as she watched him, and it was killing him. "There is no real me," he heard himself whisper. "There's just ... just .... "

"Just what?" Jen asked softly. The hope was fading to concern.

He swallowed again and blinked hard. "There's just the Red Ranger. That's all I've ever been."

"That's not true!" Trip blurted out, and he started at the sudden loud voice. "Alex ... " He faltered for a moment before his eyes narrowed in determination. "What's your favorite training sim?" he asked suddenly.

Alex frowned, startled by the question. "Guile."

"Where'd he come from? That's not a normal sim." Trip pointed out.

"I hacked the system and created it based off a video game from the early 1990's." He ignored the incredulous looks Lucas and Katie were giving him.

"Why doesn't your car have a hover function?"

He scowled at him, because Trip already knew these answers. "It **does**. I never use it because most criminals expect to be attacked from the air, so their ground defense is weaker."

"Never thought of that," he heard Lucas mutter.

"And?" Trip persisted.

He shrugged. "And I like driving on the ground. It's the way crime prevention organizations functioned in the twentieth century."

"What sort of movies do you like?"

He sighed. "Early twentieth century science-fiction. Is this going somewhere?"

"Wes doesn't play video games," Trip informed him. "He likes driving his motorcycle better than cars, and his favorite movies are Westerns." He shook his head as Alex frowned. "You're **not** Wes, Alex. And you're not just the Red Ranger. Why would the Red Ranger care about movies and video games?"

Jen was starting to grin. "Why would the Red Ranger insist chivalry is archaic while he's still holding open doors for me? " she asked. "Why would he read history books for **fun**?"

He grit his teeth, shaking his head. "I know what you're trying to do. But you're **wrong**." He shook his head again, and felt a bitter smile cross his face. "I used to think that maybe I could exist without this morpher. That maybe I could be like everyone else. But it just comes back to me. And now ... " Another head shake, and a laugh bubbled up that sounded slightly hysterical. "And now if I don't play their little game and be the perfect solitary Red Ranger, they'll go after your families, too. Just like they went after Ben."

Katie's eyes widened. "Alex ... "

He kept shaking his head, laughing until his face felt wet. "All anyone will ever want me to be is Wesley Collins. And no matter how hard I try, I can't. I'm not him. I don't want to **be** him. And after everything I've done to the four of you ... " Another head shake. "I owe you all, so much. And no matter what I try to make it better it isn't good enough."

"Alex!"

It was hard to say whether it was the sharp sound of his name or Jen's arms around him that forced him to stop talking. He swallowed as his head was forced against her shoulder and she squeezed him tightly. "I couldn't protect Ben," he whispered finally. "The least I can do is protect the four of you."

"You're not a martyr, Alex," Jen said softly, and he felt fingers run through his hair. "No matter what they told you. You're not anyone else, and you're **not** anyone's replacement. You're **you**. That's all you ever need to be."

His eyes scrunched shut in a pathetic attempt to stop the tears. When had he gotten so weak? "What if being myself isn't enough?"

"It's **more** than enough." Her voice cracked slightly, and he felt a kiss pressed to his temple. "You don't need to be anyone but yourself, Alex. That's all I've - we've, ever wanted."

He didn't know how long they stayed like that. He was aware, distantly, that at some point he'd been maneuvered to sit down. Jen's arms never let go, and he didn't even try to move away. Her shoulder was wet where his face buried against it, but he couldn't find the will to care at the moment.

"If I could make them leave you all alone, I would," he croaked eventually.

"I won't let them hurt you again," she murmured back. Her hands continued to run through his hair, and there was another squeeze. "You're not alone anymore, Alex. I promise. We'll help you."

"Don't want you hurt."

"Then don't make me watch **you** be hurt," she retorted softly. "Because that hurts more than anything else they could do to me."

He frowned a little at that, slowly pulling away to sit up and look at her. She seemed reluctant to let go, but she met his eyes easily. "But ... you ... I don't - I don't understand." he muttered in confusion.

Her hands reached up to touch his cheeks, thumbs wiping away tears he didn't know he'd still been shedding. She leaned closer, her forehead resting against his. "I told you, Alex. I want you to be honest with me. I want the chance to love the bad things about you, not just the good."

He tried to shake his head, but her hands were still on his face, keeping him in place. "You ... you picked Wes. You wanted him. Not me."

She pulled back, her expression serious, and it hurt to lose that sense of closeness. "I do love Wes," she agreed solemnly.

He swore he **heard** his heart shatter.

But Jen's eyes were still staring into his, and he couldn't look away. "Wes is my best friend," she continued. "I love him because he taught me so much about being a Ranger, about being a **person**. He taught me how to laugh again. I'll never not care about him. But he's not **you**, Alex."

He started. "W-what?"

One of her thumbs started to stroke his cheek. "Wes isn't the person I want to marry. You are." She swallowed, and her smile was slightly shaky. "That is ... if you ... if you still want me."

He couldn't breathe. "You ... but I ... huh?" he finished weakly.

She burst into giggles; it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. Her eyes sparkled merrily, and he was mesmerized. "I love you, Alex." Her smile warmed. "I want to marry you. If you'll take me."

He shook his head slowly, still rattled and no closer to understanding than he'd been a moment ago. "But ... you and Wes ... I thought .... "

"Wes isn't you," she repeated. "I love him because of the things he taught me, because he's the best friend I've ever had. And I do miss him," she admitted. "How could I not? But Alex ... " She shook her head, eyes raising meeting his again. "Alex, you made me feel important. You made me ... special. I wouldn't be where I am now, **who** I am now, without you. And ... I don't want to be without you."

"I ... " He shook his head again, at last bringing up a hand to pinch his nose. "Jen, I don't ... I mean, I do love you. I never stopped. But I don't ... I don't know if I can do this again."

She nodded slowly, but he could see the hurt shining in her eyes. "I understand," she said softly.

"I'm not saying that I don't **want** ... something, between us," he rushed out, wanting that look to go away. "I just ... I don't know if I could handle it if you ... if you didn't ... "

"Alex," she cut in. "I understand." She gave a forced smile. "I can't expect you to just forgive me for hurting you."

"I want to," he muttered, feeling like a heel.

She shook her head, and her hands reached out to squeeze his. "Don't," she insisted. "You haven't done anything wrong. I'm serious!" she added when he snorted. "Maybe some things should have been done differently, but you're not the only one who could have made better decisions. I'm at fault here, too. We both have things to be sorry for."

_Mine are a lot worse than yours_, he mused bitterly, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

A soft knock on the door startled them both into looking up, and Alex finally noticed that the other three had mysteriously disappeared at some point. Katie poked her head into the room, offering a bright smile. "Sorry to bug you two, but dinner's ready."

"We'll be right there," Jen promised.

She looked at him when the door closed again, giving a rueful smile. "You look terrible. Your eyes are all red." One of her hands reached up to run through his hair again, apparently attempting to smooth it out.

"How is it you always manage to turn me into a complete wreck?" he muttered, rubbing at his eyes. He glanced at her shoulder. "You may want to take off your jacket and run it through the refresher."

"Since when?" she demanded, giving him an exasperated look. She shrugged out of her jacket as she stood, moving to the dresser. "You're always perfectly composed."

"I am not," he retorted. "I just hide it well."

"Name **one** time that I turned you into a wreck," she insisted, setting out some clothes before turning to scowl at him, arms folded.

"The day I asked you out," he answered immediately. "Our first date. Meeting your parents. The day I asked you to ma - " He cut himself off, looking away uncomfortably. "It was more than once."

She grabbed the clothes and headed toward the adjacent bathroom, pausing to give him an odd look before searching the medicine cabinet. "Our first date was dinner and a movie. How did that turn you into a wreck?"

"I'd never eaten outside of the cafeteria before, and the only movies I watched were on Squad Nights," he returned. "I had no idea what I was doing."

She frowned a little, brightening as she located whatever she was looking for. "You could have fooled me."

"That was the point," he said wryly.

She turned to him and abruptly froze, eyes widening.

He frowned. "Jen? What's wrong?"

She blinked several times before she recovered. "I ... it's nothing. Here." She tossed a small bottle, and he caught it on reflex. "For your eyes," she explained before shutting the bathroom door.

He eyed the tiny bottle in his hand warily. As a rule, he disliked taking any sort of medication whenever possible. Other than the standard immunization shots the medical department gave every year - and even those he had to be forced into - he refused to take so much as an aspirin anymore. He never knew what sort of effects it would have, or if it was really what it said it was. But then, this **was** Jen.

He sighed, forcing himself to do it before he could change his mind. The drops burned a little, but he supposed that was to be expected. He blinked rapidly for a moment, and the pain was gone.

Jen emerged a moment later, her uniform in one hand. She'd changed into a pink T-shirt and jeans, leaving her hair around her shoulders. Seeing her out of Time Force gear was rare, and he tried not to be obvious as he took a moment to appreciate it.

"Here," he said after a pause, casually tossing the eye drops back. "Thanks."

"No problem," she dismissed easily. She paused to look him over, nodded once, and opened the bedroom door. "Hey, Katie! You want something to wear?"

"Ooh, yes," came the immediate response as she rushed into the room. "Get me **out** of this uniform."

Jen smiled wryly as she fished around, passing over some clothing. "You're just lucky I still have yellow," she teased.

"You're a lifesaver, Jen."

She shrugged lightly. "We'll have to find something for the guys after dinner."

"Definitely." Katie turned, caught sight of him, and paused much the way Jen had.

"What?" he demanded, getting irritated.

"Just ... not used to seeing your hair down," Katie said quickly, smiling at him. "You always gel it back."

He frowned a little, shrugging and resisting the urge to run a hand over it. "I didn't realize it looked that bad."

"Not bad," she assured him. "Just different."

He looked at her skeptically, but she was already rushing off to change.

"Are the four of you always this weird?" he asked after a moment, getting up to follow Jen to the dining room.

She rolled her eyes, giving him an amused smile. "Yes. And just think: now you're one of us," she taunted.

He paused in mid-step, blinking. Something about that made him feel oddly ... warm.

It shouldn't. He was putting them all at risk by being here. Blakemore would have a fit once they found out he was gone, especially after realizing he was with the others. Things could only get worse from here.

"Alex?" Jen was watching him, frowning slightly. After a moment she reached out to catch his hand, giving a gentle tug. "Come on. You don't want to miss Papa's corn chowder," she told him with a warm smile.

"That's for sure!" Katie piped up, bounding around to his other side and catching his arm to help pull him along. "Trust me, it's **fantastic**."

... But somehow, he couldn't make himself care.


	12. Understanding

I can't remember what I was thinking when I wrote this chapter, but I like it anyway. For once. ^_^;;

Chapter 12:Understanding

He woke up uncomfortably hot and smothered. Glancing around revealed Trip half-buried under his left arm, Katie wrapped around him with an ankle hooked around Alex's leg. On his other side, Jen slept peacefully with her head resting lightly against his shoulder and Lucas's arm for a pillow.

It took effort to extract himself without waking them all up, but somehow he managed. Jen and Trip instinctively moved closer in his absence, and something about it was both cute and painful to see. He had to remind himself that it didn't really mean anything.

He used the restroom and stopped in front of the sink to wash his face. Patting himself dry, he looked up into the mirror and started in surprise. He sighed, running a hand over his new haircut Katie had insisted on. That was going to take some time to get used to. Before, his hair had parted in the center, falling around the sides until he slicked it back in the mornings. Now it was shorter and spiked up in the front. Strange, but ... he kind of liked it.

He glanced out to make sure the others were still asleep before quietly searching through one of the shopping bags they'd brought back with them last night for something to wear. Dinner with Jen's parents had gone from 'we need something to sleep in' to an extra night and a small shopping spree. Jen and Katie had somehow gotten it into their heads that he needed a 'new look', which apparently meant new clothes. Even Lucas had gotten into it for some reason, and Trip had been too busy laughing to rescue him. _Brat_.

He paused to look at himself in the mirror again after he finished his brief shower, looking over the short hair, jeans, and red polo. He looked ... different. Not bad. Just not ...

_I don't look like Collins anymore._

The resemblance was still there - they did share DNA after all. But before the resemblance had been so nearly identical it was disturbing. It was why he'd started gelling his hair back after he'd first escaped the labs. It wasn't much, but it was **something** to make them separate.

But now he felt ... not himself, exactly. He still wasn't quite sure who that was. But not being a complete clone helped to make him feel less what he was: a replacement for what Time Force couldn't have.

Which had been the point, obviously. He wasn't completely blind to what the Rangers were doing. At least they weren't doing double-takes every time they glanced at him anymore. And something about how they'd actually cared enough to do something like this was ... reassuring.

He smiled a little at the mirror. It was odd to look at, being that he never really smiled that much. But he sort of liked the way it lightened his face.

He jumped as someone knocked loudly on the door. "Are you done in there yet?" Lucas demanded. "Other people need to use it too!"

"Which is why you're not using it next, or no one ever will!" Katie retorted.

He managed to duck out between them as Jen tried to separate them, looking cranky and barely awake herself. He was amused to see Trip slip in behind him, flashing a cheerful grin right before the door slid shut. Lucas and Katie whirled, both demanding access, and Jen threw her hands up in frustration.

"Are mornings always like this?" Alex asked quietly as Jen flopped back on her bed near where he was standing.

"Unfortunately," she grumbled. She sighed, groaning pitifully. "Coffee ... "

He gave her an amused smile. "Is that a request?"

She peeked out at him from under an arm, looking hopeful. "Please?"

He shook his head, chuckling. "Anything else?" he asked as he glanced over at Lucas and Katie.

"Orange Juice and a bathroom," Katie grumbled. Lucas was too busy yawning to reply.

He nodded, pausing in the doorway. Should he ... shouldn't he .... "You do remember there's a guest bathroom down the hallway, right?"

There was a pause, and he found himself scrambling back to get out of the way as they raced past him. Somewhere down the hall he heard a thud, a shout, and what sounded like Katie yelling indignantly about cheating.

He shook his head and made his way to the kitchen.

Keith greeted him pleasantly, while Peter sort of grunted over his own cup of coffee. It was easy to see where Jen got her dislike of mornings from, he noted with amusement.

Keith seemed to realize what he was thinking, shooting him a grin. "You here for coffee?"

"Coffee for Jen, orange juice for Katie and Trip," he answered. He frowned. "I'm not sure what Lucas likes."

"What about you?" Keith asked as he reached into the cabinet for cups.

He hesitated, then shook his head. "No, thank you."

He got an amused smile in return. "What would you like, Alex? Whatever it is, I'm sure we have it," he added dryly.

" ... Apple juice?" he asked after a pause, feeling awkward.

"Not a problem," Keith returned cheerfully, getting another glass.

"Thank you," he murmured, still uncomfortable.

"How can you live without caffeine?" Peter grumbled. It was either that, or "Hawkin live cantine."

"I'm, um ... I'm allergic," he said quickly. Could people have caffeine allergies? Maybe they wouldn't ask.

Peter looked like he was going to say something, but a look from Keith silenced him. "Did you want to bring these back for everyone, or do you think you can round up the troops?" Keith asked him with a smile.

He frowned. "I can try."

"Good morning!" Trip chirped from behind him, startling him. He turned to glare and got a bright smile before Trip leaned around him to see the cups on the table. "Ooh, orange juice! May I have some?" he asked politely.

"Feel free," Keith chuckled. "Do you know what Lucas will want, by any chance?"

Trip shrugged, already lifting his glass. "Don't give him a choice, or he'll complain he wants something else," he warned.

"What was that?"

"Lucas!" He snatched a glass off the table, turning to push it into Lucas' hands with a bright smile. "Here you go!"

Alex stared. "Hey, that's - " He sighed as Lucas chugged it without question. "Mine," he finished.

Trip winced. "Sorry, Alex ... "

"Problem solved," Keith assured them, passing Alex another glass. "Any idea of when the girls will be getting here?"

"Katie was trying to fix her hair, and Jen finally got the bathroom," Trip explained. "So ... I have no idea," he admitted sheepishly.

Keith laughed, and even Peter managed a slight grin. "Well, what does everyone want for breakfast?" Keith asked, still chuckling.

"Pizza!" Trip said brightly.

Lucas elbowed him with a roll of his eyes. "You can't have pizza for breakfast."

Trip frowned. "But ... we always did at the Clock Tower."

"That was different, silly," Katie said quickly, startling everyone as she moved around Trip to snag the last of the orange juice. "Pizza isn't really a breakfast food."

"But we ate it for breakfast."

"That was different," Lucas repeated firmly.

"But - "

"I'll explain it later," Katie promised.

Keith was looking at them warily now, and even Peter seemed to be waking up enough to seem suspicious. "Well, what would you all like then?" Keith asked after a long pause.

"Donuts," Jen yawned from behind them, flopping down in a chair and rubbing her eyes. She pulled her coffee mug close, holding it just under her nose with a long sigh of contentment.

"I second that," Peter said quickly.

"You are **not** having donuts for breakfast," Keith growled at them both. "Stop trying to turn our daughter into a cop stereotype."

Peter raised his eyebrows at him. "Coffee and donuts go together. How is that a stereotype?"

Keith threw up his hands. "Eggs and bacon it is. Anyone want toast?"

"Yes, please," Katie said quickly.

Why had he even asked? What did it matter if they had a choice or not? All food ended up the same as it was digested, so who cared what you were eating as long as it balanced the necessary nutrients?

He frowned to himself. Or was that Time Force Red talking again? The scientists had always just given them their food, and in the cafeteria he took what was available. But seeing everyone argue over what to eat ...

He really was a freak, wasn't he?

"Alex?"

Trip's hand on his arm startled him, and he looked down at him. "Aren't you going to sit down?" Trip asked softly, looking worried.

He shook his head. "Sorry. I was ... distracted."

"You sure you don't want some coffee?" Peter offered, reaching to pour himself another cup.

Alex started to shake his head, but Trip was already answering for him. "Alex can't have caffeine. It causes an adverse reaction in his morpher," he explained. He paused when everyone stared at him. "Um ... It makes him sick?" he tried again.

"Well, why didn't you just say so?" Keith said absently, as though it didn't matter. Peter seemed confused, but he shrugged it off.

It was the other three staring at him that was making him nervous. They knew Trip well enough to understand what he was saying. And they knew what it would mean if his morpher was involved.

"No," Alex murmured to Jen as she frowned down at her coffee. "It's just me."

He was the only one they'd tested by ingesting and injecting as much caffeine as a small child and teenager could possible stand, trying to determine how much he could tolerate before it began to affect the morpher. To the point that his morpher had begun to react in order to protect him, causing him to be violently ill the moment more than half a cup of anything caffinated touched his stomach. He wasn't in a hurry to see if that was still true.

She glanced up, her eyes filled with compassion as she nodded once, slowly. He was grateful when she didn't ask.

Breakfast was surprisingly pleasant, if somewhat quieter than dinner had been. Keith and Peter bickered constantly, but Jen smiled when they did, so it must not be unusual. Katie teased Lucas about his hair and he argued back, while Trip giggled at them both and glanced over at Alex every so often to make sure he was all right. There were casual questions here and there: what did they plan to do today, was there anything they needed, how had everyone slept, was the food okay.

It was weird, to be asked and have someone actually seem to care what the answer was. To have people trying to involve him in their conversations. To watch his ... friends? And not feel completely left out.

He kind of liked it.

He tried to help with the dishes afterward, but was informed that Keith didn't trust anyone else to wash them after the messes Peter and Jen tended to make in the process. Jen exchanged a grin with her dad, which made Keith glare at them both and shoo everyone out of the kitchen. The Rangers headed back to Jen's room, and Peter went off somewhere in the direction of the backyard, so it was Alex who heard the doorbell as he trailed behind.

"I'll get it!" he called, just in case anyone else had heard. He went to the door, activating the transparency to see who it was.

Derek Logan was standing on the front porch.

He froze as his heart began to pound. _It's just Logan_, he tried to remind himself. _It's just - just Time Force standing on your doorstep_. "Jen ... ?" he croaked. He swallowed, trying again. "Jen. **Jen**!"

"Alex?"

Her hand touched his arm carefully, and he turned to stare at her, eyes wide. The moment his eyes settled on the other three standing behind her, on Trip, that forced calm that came with being Time Force Red came over him. "You have to go," he said quietly, firmly. "All of you. I'll deal with - "

"You will **not**," she retorted sharply. "If Time Force is here, **you're** the one we're keeping them away from."

He shook his head. "Jen - "

She cut him off with a raised hand and a shake of her head. "This isn't up for discussion." There was a pause as they stared at one another, and she reached up to touch his cheek, drawing him down toward her. "You're not a martyr, and you're not alone," she said softly. Her eyes searched his. "Don't make me watch, Alex," she whispered. "Please."

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. Did she have any idea what she was really asking of him? But when he looked at her again, he found himself nodding once, slowly. "Your team. Your decision," he murmured.

She managed a slight smile, but he could still see how worried she was. She let go of his cheek, reaching down to take one of his hands in both of hers and giving a slight squeeze. "Trust me, Alex."

_I already do_.

But he just gave her another nod.

Jen nodded back, and the moment she let him go and turned away, she was Captain Scotts, leader of the Time Force Rangers again. "Katie, I want you to take Alex and Trip back to my room. Don't come out until you hear from me or Lucas, and don't let **anyone** into that room - not even my parents. Lucas, you're with me."

"But Jen - " Trip tried to protest.

"Trip, you're a target right now, too," she interrupted. "And I'm not letting them get either of you. Keep Alex safe."

Trip subsided, looking annoyed, and Alex gave her a look.

"Let's **go** guys," she insisted, narrowing her eyes back at him.

Alex followed Trip as the other boy muttered darkly ahead of him. Something about his irritation made it hard not to smile, even with Katie behind him like some sort of bodyguard. It got even better when Jen's door closed behind them all, and Trip immediately burst out with "I can't believe this! I can fight, too!"

"Of course you can, Trip," Katie tried to soothe him. "That wasn't what Jen was - "

"Keep Alex safe? How stupid does she think I am?" he went on, scowling furiously at the bed. "I **know** what that means. It means I'm useless." He kicked the bed in frustration and promptly winced, clutching his foot.

"That wasn't your brightest idea," Alex informed him dryly, directing him to sit down.

"I thought we were past this," Trip muttered rebelliously, even as he leaned against Alex's shoulder and continued to rub his foot.

"Trip - " Katie protested.

"Trip, has it ever occurred to you that you're the strongest defensive fighter we have?" Alex asked him, ignoring Katie for the moment.

Trip frowned a little, glancing up at him. "What do you mean?"

He rolled his eyes, because Trip's lack of self-confidence had always driven him up the wall. "Who else on this team can hack a door lock in under a minute?"

"You can."

"Not that fast," he pointed out. "You're the best with electronics and you're good at tactics even though you always pretend you're not. Katie's here for muscle, you're here for brains." He shot Katie an apologetic glance for the analogy, but she just looked amused. He hesitated. "You're also here to keep me sane."

Trip looked at him for a long moment. "She'll be fine, you know," he said suddenly, squeezing Alex's hand. "And Lucas is with her."

He sighed, because Trip always saw right through him. "I **meant**, that if something happened to you, you know I'd surrender in a heartbeat."

"And I'd never forgive you for it," Trip returned promptly.

He shook his head, leaning to the side until it rested against Trip's. "_Lias_," he reminded him, reaching out to tap his finger against Trip's chest.

Predictably, it made Trip smile. "_Lias aeo na'say'ah_," he corrected.

"Let me be proud of the word I can pronounce."

"What does that mean?" Katie spoke up, watching them both as she leaned near the door. "What ... what you just said."

"_Lias aeo na'say'ah_?" Trip repeated. "It means brother of heart."

"Brother of heart ... " she mused. She smiled a little. "That sounds pretty."

"You're _layos aeo na'say'ah_, Katie," he told her eagerly. He paused, ducking his head shyly. "I mean, if you want to be."

"_Layos_?" Alex repeated.

"Sister," Trip murmured in embarrassment. "It means sister of heart."

A slow, warm smile crossed Katie's face, and she came to kneel down in front of them. She leaned forward to rest her head against Trip's. "So how do I say it? Lee az?"

"Lee us," Alex corrected.

"Lee us ay oh nah say ah." Trip repeated slowly.

"_Lias aeo na'say'ah_," she said carefully. Then she grinned. "So ... if you're my brother, and Alex's brother, does that make me and Alex related?"

Alex recoiled. Surprisingly, he realized he wasn't actually offended. "No," he said firmly.

Trip giggled. "I don't know, Alex. I mean, you're part of the team now. And the team is family, so ... "

"Oh, no it's not," he said sharply. He ignored their startled and hurt expressions as he scowled at Trip. "I do **not** think of Jen as my sister."

Katie burst out laughing.

He pause to raise his eyebrows at Trip. "So does that mean you think of Lucas as your brother?" he asked pointedly, well aware of Trip's crush.

"No - I mean yes," Trip said quickly, turning bright red as he looked flustered. "I mean .. of - of course."

Katie and Alex exchanged amused looks. "You realize we're going to have to fix this," Katie told him.

He nodded seriously. "Which means I get priority on the big brother speech."

She raised an eyebrow. "Since when?"

"Since I've known Trip longer," he reminded her. "And I'm older than you."

"Doesn't matter if I get to Lucas first," she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Trip asked plaintively.

"No," they said in unison. Alex blinked in surprise, but Katie just grinned at him.

Silence fell, and after a while Katie's smile faded. "They're taking a long time," she said eventually.

Alex gave a small shrug with the shoulder Trip wasn't leaning on. "We can't expect it to be over and done with in five minutes."

"I wish it was," Trip whispered. "I don't like waiting."

Alex swallowed, thinking of Jen and the look in her eyes earlier. "Me, either," he murmured.

-- _"Don't make me watch, Alex. Please."_ --

_Then don't make me lose you again_, he pleaded silently. _Please, Jen. I couldn't - I __**can't**__ -_

When Katie's morpher finally beeped after what seemed like hours, all three of them jumped.

"Th - this is Katie," she stammered.

A projection of Lucas appeared above her wrist, looking solemn. "It's me. It's safe to open the door."

Alex and Trip both stood when she went to unlock it, all three of them still wary and defensive. But Lucas' expression didn't change when they saw him, and the only person behind him was Jen. His eyes flickered over each of them for a moment, meeting Alex's briefly before glancing away.

Jen looked shaken when she entered.

Alex stepped forward, frowning at her. "Jen?"

Her eyes were pained when she looked up. "Alex ... " she whispered.

He was at her side in an instant, hovering worriedly. "What happened? Are you two all right?" He gave Lucas a cursory once-over before looking at Jen again.

She scrunched her eyes shut, letting out a short breath. "Logan found out the truth. He came here to tell us that he's on our side, and to warn that Blakemore kept his promise."

Alex went still. "He what?" he whispered in horror. His eyes darted between her, Lucas, and Katie. Which one? Which family had he gone after? This was all his fault! Why couldn't he just -

"No, Alex," she interrupted, catching his arm and forcing him to look at her. Her eyes were serious and full of pain. "His **first** promise." She swallowed. "They woke up Ben."


	13. Reunion

This is most definitely one of my favorite chapters for this story so far. Alex is potentially OOC, but I believe it still works when you consider the plot and everything that's happening. So ... bring on the Alex Torture! -Grins maniacally-

Chapter 13:Reunion

The news reports that began to show up during the end of the week were sickening. Time Force proudly displaying the return of the long-lost Quantum Morpher, its Quantum Ranger, and the brave young man who had been chosen to use it. They played him up as a hero, someone hand-picked by Time Force to protect their city. Every interview had him standing quietly, solemnly, behind the podium as yet another Time Force officer went on and on about how much work had gone into the recovery of the morpher, how strong this new Ranger was, how proud of him they all were.

And the public was eating it up.

The Rangers were naturally suspicious. Lucas wanted to know why they'd brought out the Quantum Morpher **now**. Katie was worried about why they were making such a big production of it, and tended to go off on tangents about her newest theory. Jen watched the news avidly, studying every nuance of behavior from the officers being interviewed and Ben himself. What she was hoping to find, Alex wasn't really sure. Trip seemed to be more concerned about how they were going to be able to talk to Ben than anything, and Alex hadn't called the other three yet on the glances they would exchange whenever he brought it up.

All Alex could see was his brother, bright blue eyes closed off in a way they'd only been when they were being watched. His normally rumpled blond hair was now short and neat, something that didn't fit him at all. And his face ... he looked so young. How old was he now? He couldn't even remember how old they'd been when ... when Ben was ....

Was **he** really twenty-one now? The last time he'd seen Ben alive, they'd been the same age. And now his brother was so much younger than he was, looking closed off and proper in a way he never had. It wasn't right. Wasn't **Ben**.

Which was why he made sure the others were all sound asleep the night he snuck out of Jen's parents' house to find his brother.

* * *

It didn't escape his notice that no one had approached him the moment he set foot on Time Force property. No matter how careful he was, there was no way they didn't know he was here. Which meant they were waiting for him to find Ben.

Which meant there was something wrong, and Blakemore was gleefully waiting for him to see what it was.

He didn't care. He knew he should have, knew Jen and Trip, maybe even Katie and Lucas, would be furious with him for coming here at all, let alone walking into what was obviously some sort of trap. Some part of him even acknowledged that he should be scared of what he was going into. Blakemore was probably going to have him attacked the moment he was in range, and gloat over his success before shipping him off to some remote corner of Time Force where he'd only be allowed out of his cell in order to bring in criminals.

He sighed quietly to himself, shaking his head. Too much time with Trip and Katie. His imagination was working overtime on him.

The truth was that trap or no, there was one reason he was here, and one reason only: Ben. He'd already failed his brother once; he wasn't going to abandon him just because there was a possibility of getting hurt in the process. A high possibility, granted, but not enough to keep him away.

None of his passcodes had changed, and there were no locks to keep him away from any part of Time Force. Guards he passed merely nodded in acknowledgement, and he found himself wondering if they were being paid to keep their mouths shut, or just not aware that he really shouldn't be here. Blakemore never so much as showed himself, which set Alex more on edge than it probably should have.

His first stop was the training rooms, and he wasn't sure whether to be pleased or not that it was the right guess. A lone man was beating the stuffing out of a large punching bag, focused on his task with a determination that made Alex wonder if he'd even been noticed. The man's form was perfect, and he looked to be in fantastic shape. Odd, considering how Ben had looked the last time he'd seen him.

The ringing sound of the bag swinging back and forth stopped abruptly, and the young man turned to face him.

Time seemed to stop for a few minutes as Alex forgot how to breathe. His brother was standing in front of him. Whole and perfect, sweaty and breathing hard, blond hair tossed in every direction. His face was older than it should have been, his eyes harder, but he was **there**. He was **alive**.

He didn't remember what made him do it, didn't even remember moving, but suddenly they were directly in front of each other. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out to touch the other's shoulder. It was solid under his fingers when he gripped it, and he swallowed hard, trying to blink back tears and failing. His hand trailed up to his face, tracing along that square jaw line as his eyes burned those bright crystal blue eyes into his memory all over again. "Ben," he choked out at last, his voice barely a whisper.

Something in Ben's eyes softened a little, and Alex threw his arms around him. Ben was shorter than he was now, just enough to make things awkward, but he didn't care. He squeezed him until it hurt, trying to keep in the sobs as he kissed the top of that blond head - something he'd never been able to do before. He whispered his brother's name over and over, rocking back and forth slowly as his eyes burned.

He didn't know how much time passed until he heard a surprisingly deep voice murmur "A, I can't breathe ... "

He released him immediately. "Sorry. I ... sorry," he muttered, feeling flustered. But his eyes fell on his brother's face again, and he found himself cupping it between his hands, pressing his forehead against the other boy's. All the words he wanted to say caught in his throat, and he pulled back just enough to place another kiss on Ben's head instead.

"Ugh." Ben made a face. "Freak much?"

The phrasing was odd, and it made him pull back a little more to stare at him. "What?"

"Since when are you so emotional?" Ben wanted to know, reaching up to scrub at his forehead where the last kiss had been placed.

He stared at him. "Since I just found out that my brother is still alive," he said softly. His voice cracked a little at the end, and he swallowed hard.

Ben frowned, glancing away. "I guess I can give you that," he sighed, but something in his tone still seemed off.

He blinked hard for a moment, reaching up to run a hand over Ben's head again. He tried to speak, swallowed, and shook his head. "I just ... I can't believe this. I thought you were ... "

Ben shrugged a little. "I never really was. They said they were just waiting for the day I was ready to wake up again. Once I did, they used this ... thing, and well ... " He took a step back, his expression brightening as he gestured to himself. "I mean, look at me! I'm all better!"

_All better_. Alex scrunched his eyes shut for a moment, willing the tears to go away. _Is that what they call it now?_ "You look ... you look good," he managed at last, forcing a rather sickly smile to his face.

"Sorry." For a moment, Ben actually sounded a little guilty. "I guess this hasn't exactly been easy on you."

_You think?!_

"No," he said instead, after an awkward pause. "It hasn't."

There was another uncomfortable silence, and at last Ben managed a smile. "So ... Geez, look at you. How old are you now, anyway?"

"Twenty-one." He hesitated. "How ... how old are you?"

Ben scowled, folding his arms irritably. "Fifteen," he grumbled. "I go to sleep and wake up to find out my twin is six years older than me. That is so not fair."

"Fifteen?" Alex hesitated. "But ... you were - we were twelve when - "

"Yeah, apparently they aged me up a bit when they were healing me." Ben shrugged, unconcerned. "Something about side-effects for preteen Rangers."

"Side-effects for - " Alex cut himself off, staring at Ben in indignation. "What, **now** they care how old you are?!"

"Hey," Ben said sharply. "They were doing me a favor, okay?"

"A **favor**?" Alex gaped at him. "They're the ones who did it to you in the first place!"

"It wasn't their fault no one could predict the way the morpher would react - "

"Are you **kidding** me?!" His fists clenched until they ached as he struggled for control of his temper again. He took several deep breaths, trying to force himself to be calm. "Ben, they were **experimenting** on you. We were lab rats. They don't care about how the morphers affected us, they never have."

There was a long silence as Ben stared at him, at last letting out a slow sigh. "They said you might react like that," he said eventually.

He blinked. "What?"

Ben shook his head like he hadn't heard him. "I didn't want to believe it, but ... I guess they really did get to you."

He frowned. "Who got to me? What are you talking about?"

"The other Rangers," Ben said simply. "They've been brainwashing you into thinking Time Force is your enemy."

The world seemed to be closing in on him, his breath echoing harshly in his ears. "Ben, no," he heard himself whisper. His eyes felt wet. "Don't do this."

"I'm not doing anything, Alex." Ben was frowning at him now, and his eyes seemed to have closed off again. "You're the one who's acting weird."

"I ... I'm not - " He shook his head, closing his eyes again for a moment. "Ben. Time Force is the reason we suffered for so long. They're the reason you went into a coma for **nine years**. You can't ... you can't be choosing them over me."

"It's not their fault I was too weak!" Ben insisted. He shook his head, shoulders trembling. "It ... That doesn't matter anyway. I'm stronger now. I can handle it."

"It doesn't work like that, Ben!"

"Yes, it does! It has to!"

He flinched back, staring at his brother. "Ben ... Ben, **please**," he pleaded softly. "Don't ... don't leave me alone again."

Again something seemed to flicker for just a moment in the other's eyes, but it was gone before Alex could even try to identify it. "You don't need me, Alex," Ben muttered after a moment, almost too soft to be heard. "You're stronger than that. And you have the Rangers now."

Alex shook his head, feeling desperate. "They're not **you**! I only have one twin!"

Ben's jaw clenched briefly. "But you have another brother."

_Great, they told him about Trip_, he groaned silently. "He's not you," he reminded him.

A soft, bitter laugh escaped the teen. "But he's enough," he mumbled. He shook his head, at last looking up to meet Alex's eyes. "I'm not leaving Time Force, Alex," he said shortly. "They gave me my life back. They gave me ... **me**." His eyes flickered down to the morpher resting innocently on his left wrist before drifting back up. "And I'm not going to give that up. Not even for you."

His chest felt like it was being squeezed impossibly tight. "Ben ... " he whispered. "Ben, you don't know ... What if they hurt you again? What if they - "

"You should go," Ben cut in. His eyes were cold and hard now. "I don't want to have to call security on you, Alex."

_He never calls me Alex. That was Trip's nickname_, he realized distantly. "Ben, why are you doing this?"

"I'm doing what has to be done," Ben informed him. His eyes narrowed. "Now get out. Your team is probably waiting."

_I don't care about my team! I care about __**you**__!_ he screamed silently. But there was no forgiveness in those eyes, and somehow he found himself nodding slowly. "Okay," he said softly.

He found himself stopping in the doorway to look back at where Ben had already turned to his punching bag again. "For whatever it might be worth ... I ... I'm so sorry," he choked out.

Ben paused briefly before attacking the bag again.

Alex closed his eyes and tried to keep himself from running from the building.

* * *

Jen was waiting for him on the front porch steps when he returned.

They stared at one another for several minutes. She didn't ask, didn't yell, and he didn't explain. But somehow he knew she already understood.

Then she held her arms out to him, and he collapsed to his knees, clinging desperately to her and burying his face in her lap as he cried.


	14. Strategy Session

When in doubt, add cookies. Team Bonding is also good.

Chapter 14:Strategy Session

"We need some sort of strategy," Lucas mused.

"We need a plan," Katie insisted, reaching around him to steal from the plate.

"We need to know who our enemies are," Jen said firmly, completely ignoring the streak of chocolate on the side of her mouth, as well as the fact that Alex couldn't seem to take his eyes off it.

"We need to know what we're doing," Alex muttered, trying once again to find something else to focus his attention on and failing.

Trip frowned at the empty plate resting on the floor in the center of the room, and sighed mournfully. "We need more cookies."

"Motion seconded," Katie said quickly, grabbing the plate. "I'll go get some."

"Since when is this a democracy?" Alex demanded.

"And milk?" Trip asked hopefully.

Katie gave him an amused look. "Of course! It's not cookies without milk."

"This has never been a democracy," Jen told Alex. "They just like to pretend it is."

"And Jen lets us get away with it because it's easier than arguing," Katie agreed cheerfully as she headed back to the kitchen.

Alex raised his eyebrows at Jen. She shrugged back at him. "It is," she admitted.

"Otherwise we just pretend we're listening, which is even worse," Lucas informed him, stretching and leaning over Trip to grab the cookie still in his hand.

"Hey!" Trip protested, flashing him a hurt look.

Lucas sighed and handed it back, but Trip only split it in half and gave him back the bigger piece anyway.

Alex rolled his eyes and glanced at Jen to make sure he wasn't the only one who'd caught that. Her amused expression said he wasn't. "You do realize Katie's going to be back with more any minute now."

"That's not now," Lucas returned, leaning back again to much on his cookie piece thoughtfully.

"What about me?" Katie asked, carrying a plate that looked twice as full of cookies as the last one had been.

"Lucas is using you as an excuse to pick on Trip," Alex told her, smirking at Lucas' annoyed look.

"He'd better not be picking on Trip," Katie retorted. She reclaimed her place on the floor beside Trip and Alex, leaning back against Jen's bed and absently shoving Lucas' legs out of the way. "'Cause he know what I'll do to him if he does."

"No bloodshed in the house please, that's all I ask," Keith said pleasantly as brought in a small tray with five tall glasses of milk. He set it down beside the cookies, smiling as the glasses promptly disappeared. "You kids need anything else?"

"Not right now, Papa. Thanks," Jen assured him with a smile.

He leaned over to wipe the corner of her mouth with a thumb and chuckled. "You're welcome. Let me know if you do."

Alex silently cursed and thanked him for the movement.

"We will," she promised.

She waited until the door closed behind him before looking around at the rest of them. "Let's start with what we know," she began.

"Blakemore's a - " Alex choked on his cookie, coughed, and glared down at his morpher. "Jerk," he finished lamely, elbowing Trip when he giggled.

Jen rolled her eyes.

Katie snickered and leaned back on her hands. "So we know we don't like Blakemore," she agreed.

"I think that's a little obvious," Jen said pointedly. "What else do we know?"

"We can't trust Blakemore or anyone connected to him and the original Morpher Project?" Trip volunteered.

"But do we even know who that is?" Lucas asked skeptically.

Alex and Trip exchanged glances. "We could make a list of the ones we know ... " Alex began hesitantly, frowning.

"But we don't have any proof of their involvement," Trip finished with a sigh. "Most of the data disappeared right before we were found."

"That's convenient," Lucas grumbled.

"Isn't it?" Alex returned sarcastically.

Jen poked him in the side with her foot, glaring. She nudged Katie with her elbow, nodding down to the cookies on the floor, and smiled in gratitude when one was passed up to her. "A list is a start," she declared eventually. "With that we can try gathering evidence against them. Even if it has to be current, the point is getting them out of Time Force permanently."

"Easier said than done," Alex murmured, dodging when she tried to kick him again. His frown returned. "We also need a secure base of operations. We can't hide with Jen's parents forever."

Jen nodded, biting her lip. "And I don't want to get Papa and Dad mixed up into anything."

"We may have to, eventually," Lucas pointed out. "I mean, when it comes time to make an actual arrest, it might be better to have it done by someone outside of Time Force."

She frowned. "True. But ... " She hesitated, shaking her head. "I don't want to get them involved until we have to. I - "

"Jen," Katie cut in, reaching up to squeeze her hand sympathetically. "It's okay. We understand."

Jen swallowed, forcing a shaky smile. "Thanks."

"Well .... we do have Ranger Tower," Trip spoke up hesitantly. "I mean, they did give it to us."

"I don't trust anything Time Force supplied," Alex muttered darkly. "If they supplied it, there's no way it's secure. There's probably cameras all over the place."

"So we fake feed them," Trip said simply. "We go through and debug the entire tower, and then we seal it off so that no one can get in without a morpher."

"Just a morpher?" Lucas asked warily. His eyes flickered to Alex.

Trip looked at Alex worriedly. "Well - "

"Just the Chrono Morphers," he interrupted, shaking his head slightly. He let out a long sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. "Better to make sure it's specifically these five, as well. I wouldn't put it past them to try and create a new set just to get rid of us."

"They wouldn't," Katie protested instantly. She frowned, looking around uncertainly. " ... Would they?"

"I wouldn't put it past them," Alex repeated grimly. He glanced up at Jen. "Are you sure we can trust Logan?"

She hesitated, looking down at the floor for a moment. At last she raised her head again, nodding once. "Yes," she said firmly. "I won't say I trust him completely, but I believe him when he says he's on our side."

"So does that mean we can trust everyone under Logan, or no?" Lucas wanted to know, frowning as he stole another cookie out of Trip's hand. He ignored the pout he received in return and dodged Katie's fist before she could hit him for it.

"No," Alex said instantly. "Even good leaders have to deal with bad subordinates." He frowned into his milk, eventually looking up at the long silence. "What?"

Katie leaned forward again to rest her chin on folded hands. "Speaking from personal experience?" she asked innocently.

He frowned at her, sighing and rolling his eyes as he finally caught on. "I didn't mean any of **you**. I meant in general. There are good leaders with bad subordinates, and bad leaders with good subordinates. You can't base your assessments of an entire unit based on how one man behaves."

There was another pause.

"Did you just say you want us to investigate everyone in Time Force?" Lucas demanded.

"Alex, that could take **years**," Jen argued.

Something in him snapped. He stood without warning, trying to keep from glaring furiously at them all. "I didn't realize you'd all assumed this was going to be something short and simple that we could do in a few weeks." He forced an indifferent shrug. "I've already dedicated my life to Time Force, so it doesn't matter to me how long this takes. If the rest of you aren't comfortable with giving that much dedication to the cause, I understand."

"Alex!" Jen caught his arm as he reached the door. "That's not what anyone's saying," she protested. "Will you just calm down for a minute?"

He closed his eyes, forcing another slow breath that accomplished nothing. "Time Force is what I am. It's all I've ever been. Building a Time Force I can be proud of isn't a chore for me. I'm sorry if the rest of you feel that way," he said shortly

"No one said it was a chore, Alex," Katie spoke up quietly, and her voice was closer than it had been. "Don't put words in our mouths."

He grit his teeth. "You don't understand what this means to me. None of you have as much as stake as I do."

Another awkward silence.

"So tell us," Lucas said finally, sounding annoyed. "Why does it mean so much more to you than it would to us?"

He swallowed, scrunching his eyes shut and fighting the urge to rest his head against the door in front of him. "This means finally being able to force the people who hurt my brothers to pay for what they did," he began softly. "The scientists, the sponsors, the security guards ... all of them. I want every single one of them in cryo for the rest of their lives. It means that someday, I'm going to have to stand in front of a courtroom and tell them everything that was done to me, everything that I saw. It means I'm going to have to stand against **my own brother**, because he thinks Time Force saved his life." He could feel himself trembling again, and he shook his head harshly. "I can't just ... This isn't something I'm going to be able to walk away from when it gets too hard. I have to put myself through this, because if I don't ... no one else will."

"I will."

Trip was suddenly beside him, looking up with an earnest expression. "Alex, this is my fight, too. They hurt **my** brother. I want to make things better, too."

"You're not alone anymore, you know." Surprisingly it was Katie who said it, coming up behind Trip to give him a concerned frown. "We're on your side, Alex. You just have let us be there."

He started when Lucas' hand settled on his shoulder. The other man shook his head, giving him an look that seemed almost amused. "You still didn't answer my question," he drawled. "Why would something that affects you not mean enough to us?"

"We've really got to work on your definition of 'team'," Jen murmured in agreement, her smile soft and understanding.

"Team?" he echoed, frowning. "But ... we're not ... you're - "

"We're a team," Katie told him firmly. "All five of us. You're just gonna have to get used to it."

There was a lump in his throat he couldn't seem to swallow, and he hadn't noticed he'd been shaking his head until Jen reached up to make him stop. "Wes was your team," he forced out before he could meet her eyes, his voice barely audible.

"He is," Jen agreed. "But no one said there had to be a limit on how big a team can be." Her hand was stroking his cheek now with a deliberate softness that was incredibly distracting.

"Apparently this team has seven," Katie said with a light shrug, grinning.

"Eight," Trip corrected even as Alex wondered who else they were missing. "Just because he doesn't know it yet doesn't mean Ben isn't part of the team."

Lucas snorted, shaking his head. "There's gotta be something about those Quantum Rangers. They just can't learn to play well with others."

Alex choked out a laugh without meaning to. He blinked, and found the other four grinning at him.

"So there is a sense of humor in there," Katie teased.

He rolled his eyes. "Very funny."

"Face it, Alex. You're stuck with us," Jen informed him, smiling warmly.

"All of us," Katie nodded.

Apparently this was some silent cue for Trip to hug him. Then Katie was crushing his ribs, Jen was resting her head against his shoulder, and even Lucas had an arm wrapped around him. He groaned loudly, and whether it was at the hug itself or the fact that he couldn't breathe, he couldn't say. All he knew was that he was being smothered, someone's hair was making his neck itch, he was pretty sure if Katie squeezed any tighter something was either going to pop or go numb, and he couldn't move enough to get any of them off of him.

But that tight feeling in his chest that had begun when Ben had told him he wouldn't give up Time Force seemed to ease a little.

Eventually they all pulled away, and he scowled at Katie as he rubbed his side. She laughed at him and tried to tussle his hair, and he winced when he tried to duck away.

"So ... does this mean we can go back to the cookies?" Trip asked hopefully.


	15. Encryptions

While watching Reinforcements from the Future again, I noticed that Trip never seems surprised when Wes and Eric call him, or even when they answer his call, using super-secret **future technology** in front of other people. My mind wandered.

Also, I did not **intentionally** insult Wild Force; I was looking at things from a factual stand point. c.c;;

Chapter 15:Encryptions

-- _"I don't like this."_

_"No one's expecting you to."_

_"Doesn't anyone else think this seems like a trap?"_

_"We __**all**__ think it's a trap, Alex. But we don't exactly have a choice."_

_"Why only one? We can spare at __**least**__ two, if not more." A pause. "We should send all four of you. I can handle things here."_

_"And leave you without anyone to watch your back? Not happening." _--

Six months ago, all five of them had gone over every inch of Ranger Tower, cleaning and rearranging. The end result had given them a map of every hidden camera and listening device, which Trip had programmed into their morphers before removing all traces of the original. They'd hacked the door lock to Ranger Tower and added a new code that could only recognize the five Chrono Morphers, as well as allowing for a warning alarm in the event that any of them brought a guest.

In addition, they now had one room completely secure for planning and discussing any new information gathered against Time Force. Trip and Alex had done what they called a 'fake feed', copying an image of a nearly identical room and sending it to both cameras, essentially rendering them all invisible. Trip had added a bug scrambler to their morphers so that with the touch of a button, all of the listening devices in the room received no audio, but remained active to keep from setting off any alarms. The room they'd chosen was one of the smallest in Ranger Tower, making it less likely to be missed. Lucas had crankily dubbed it 'The Closet', prompting a great deal of snickering and bad jokes from the girls for several weeks.

Time Force remained frustratingly unchanged. While the Rangers struggled to identify which members of the board were part of the original experiments, they found themselves also trying to decide who to trust among the current staff. While Logan had shown that he was on their side, that didn't mean that he was **completely** trustworthy, and nothing he had done so far had confirmed where his loyalties lie. Then there was the ongoing investigation of the rest of the Time Force Officers and their subordinates, gathering evidence against the board ...

It was a long, slow process, and it didn't seem to be going anywhere.

And now they'd been given a report of evidence of three mutants still unrecovered from Ransik's prison break, along with specific instructions to send one Ranger back in time to investigate. Trip had confirmed that the report and the missing mutants were a real case, but no one liked the orders they'd been given - Alex most of all. He'd argued against it for the better part of an hour.

He was outvoted in the end, mostly because no one could come up with a better plan. And being that it was Jen's team, Jen had been the one to take the assignment. She left Alex in charge, and made the other three promise to keep him from getting himself killed. Katie had been given special permission to tie up or beat into submission anyone that became 'difficult', and Alex had ignored the glances the two women had given him when Jen had given the order.

That was a month ago. A week later, Jen had stopped reporting in. The original plan had been for her to 'drop out' of contact to throw Time Force off their trail, and keep them from learning gaining any information the Rangers didn't want them to have. But Jen hadn't even reported in to the Rangers, which had **not** been part of the plan.

Alex was worried. Which meant that he'd been ruder and more snappish than usual, to the point that only Trip seemed to be able to tolerate him for extended periods of time. Katie had been agitated and looking for a fight she couldn't have, leaving her and Alex often at odds with each other. Lucas was helping Trip to keep the peace more because Trip needed the help than for actually wanting to, and spent most of his time away from Ranger Tower whenever possible. Alex wasn't exactly sure where he'd been going, just that he made sure to show up for his assigned patrols.

As for Ben, he had barely seen more than a glimpse of his brother wandering through the halls a few times, and neither of them had sought the others out. For now, it seemed that Time Force didn't want them near each other, and Alex was perfectly fine with that. Ben had already made his choice; it was painful enough catching him out of the corner of his eye when he wasn't expecting it.

After another morning of useless paperwork and questions about why they hadn't located Jen yet he couldn't answer, Alex found himself leaning against the wall of the elevator to Ranger Tower with a sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to wish away his growing headache. Things had been a lot easier when Jen was in charge of the team, for many reasons. He hadn't realized just how much he'd come to depend on her lately until she was gone.

The doors slid open, and he absently keyed the recognition code for his morpher as he headed for Ranger Tower's main entryway. The computer chirped a cheerful acknowledgement at him.

"Time Force was tracking three fugitives in the year 3001. How they showed up in the year 2002 is ... beyond me," he heard Trip say.

He frowned. What was Trip doing on the comm? Wasn't Katie supposed to be on duty today?

"Oh, and ... There's - there's something you should know, Wes, um ... " Trip continued, and Alex paused in mid-step. "Jen was assigned a special mission to arrest those mutants, but ... we lost contact with her a few weeks ago."

Then Trip looked up and froze. The comm he was using vanished abruptly. "Alex! What are you - I thought you were coming in later," he stammered.

"Wasn't Katie on comm today?" he heard himself ask blandly.

Trip blinked. "Um ... she uh, went down ... to get some lunch. She was going to bring something up for everyone." He hesitated. "Alex, are you - "

"So the fugitives are in 2002?" he interrupted.

Trip bit his lip, nodding. "Wes and Eric called to ask if any mutants had escaped from the future."

Alex frowned slightly. "2002?" he repeated. "Why would they go a year **after** you four were there? Are there any events we should be concerned about around that year?"

Trip turned to check the computer. "Well ... there's the Wild Force Power Rangers in Turtle Cove, California. But I don't see anything else in that year, exactly. But the beginning of that century was very active for Power Rangers. Maybe that has something to do with it."

Alex shook his head. He'd never understand why for fifteen years Power Rangers seemed to be popping up like daisies, yet his team was the first that had appeared on Earth in nearly a century. "But why Wild Force in particular? Anything special about them?"

Trip frowned at his results. "Well ... as far as Power Rangers in general go, not really. I mean, they saved Earth, but that's - "

"Something all Rangers do," he interrupted. "Nothing involving timelines or anything of galactic proportions?"

"No ... " Trip tilted his head curiously. "There's a side note here, but it's been encrypted."

"Can you hack it?"

He hesitated. "It might take me a little while if we don't want anyone to notice."

"Go for it," Alex told him. "Anything else we can learn about them could be important."

The sound of Katie cursing as fluently as her morpher would allow made him turn to look at her as she stumbled through the door, clutching several bags. "You all right?" he asked, frowning in concern as he took some of them from her.

She glared at him. "Your brother is ... is a ... a world-class **jerk**!" she shouted.

He flinched slightly. "You saw him?"

"He shoved his way into the lunch line and jabbed his elbow into my ribs on **purpose**, just to tell me that Time Force wants us to find Jen," she snapped.

Alex paused. "He said that Time Force wants us to find Jen? Exactly like that?"

She stopped too, looking at him oddly. "'Time Force needs you to find your Pink Ranger'. That's what he said. Why?"

Alex shook his head slowly. "Ben ... isn't subtle," he said eventually. "If he thinks we're taking too long to find Jen, he'd say so. Saying Time Force needs us to find her ... He shook his head again. "There's something odd about how he said it, but I can't put my finger on it."

" ... Guys?"

They both turned to look at Trip. He was fidgeting, looking worried and nervous all at once. "I found something," he said eventually.

Alex raised his morpher. "Alex to Lucas."

"_This is Lucas. Any news?_"

"Report in. We need to talk."

* * *

"Seriously, why couldn't you have picked a bigger room?" Lucas grumbled as they squeezed into The Closet. It was just big enough for a five small chairs, one side table squeezed into the center, and bookshelves hung on the walls that forced him and Alex to lean forward to avoid hitting their heads.

Alex sighed. "We've been over this. No one would expect us to use a room this small for what we use it for."

"Because everyone else has sense," Lucas muttered darkly, wincing as he folded himself awkwardly into a chair.

Alex shook his head. "Trip, you said you found something in that file on the Wild Force Rangers in 2002?"

Trip nodded. "You guys aren't gonna believe this ... " he warned. "The note labeled three Wild Force Rangers as being connected to Space Patrol Delta. It said that Wild Force Yellow was even an enlisted member."

Alex frowned. "Space Patrol Delta? The prototype for Time Force? But what would the Wild Force Rangers be doing with them? You said they were based in California."

"They were," Trip agreed, nodding again. "But get this - the Space Patrol Delta they're connected to? Is on **Earth**."

They all stared at him.

"That's impossible," Lucas said slowly. "Space Patrol Delta was formed on the planet Sirius, and was a galactic organization until it became Time Force. The first base on Earth wasn't until 2087, and that was Time Force - not Space Patrol Delta. That's Time Force history from basic training."

"I know!" Trip leaned forward eagerly. "But that's what the file says - that Taylor Earheart later became an important member of Space Patrol Delta, and get **this**: she's also side-referenced as a **Newtech Ranger**."

"A **what**?" Katie demanded. "There's no such thing as Newtech Rangers. The only Rangers Newtech City has ever had is us, and we're Time Force."

A chill ran down Alex's spine. "You think Time Force has been withholding information from us about the past."

Trip nodded again, looking serious now. "It's a definite possibility. And ... I found something else."

"What is it?" Lucas asked warily.

"There's another sub-log to the Wild Force Rangers entry that was encrypted, too." He paused. "It states that on July 27, in the year 2002, the Wild Force Rangers teamed up with the Time Force Rangers to defeat three time bandits known as 'Mutorgs'."

Katie's eyes widened. "You mean ... Just Wes and Eric? Or ... "

"There were twelve Rangers credited with bringing them in," Trip said quietly. His eyes flickered to Alex.

Alex swallowed. "Then you have to go back," he said evenly.


	16. Speaking in Code

Half this chapter was written while nursing a headache. Ironically, I'd already planned it, so I wasn't being especially sadistic.

Chapter 16:Speaking in Code

"We need more information," Alex told his team. He looked to Trip. "I want you to contact Wes and Eric. Tell them about the Mutorgs, but don't let them know about the logs. Lucas, Katie ... " He took a deep breath. "I want you two to get Nadira. Ask her if she's willing to talk to Ransik for us."

"Do you really think he'll help?" Katie asked softly, looking worried.

Alex shrugged. "I don't think we have any other options," he said simply. "Trip, make that call. I'll go talk to Logan, let him know what's going on so we can get clearance for the four of you to leave."

"Let's go," Lucas agreed, nodding to Katie.

Alex headed for the door. "And Trip?" he called back.

"Yes?"

"Try to pretend you're actually surprised when you see the Wild Force Rangers, okay?"

"Um ... okay."

He shook his head as the elevator waited for him. Trip wasn't exactly the world's greatest actor. He could only hope that no one was paying close enough attention to notice.

* * *

Logan frowned, leaning forward in his chair. "I see ... " he murmured.

"Did you have any idea about this?" Alex struggled to keep the accusation from his voice. While he knew Logan wasn't the enemy - at least, not anymore - it was still hard for him to show civility to any member of Time Force that wasn't a Ranger.

Logan's eyes flicked up to him, and he shook his head slightly. "No, I didn't. Did you?" he asked with mock politeness.

Alex sighed. "Sorry," he muttered. "It's ... "

Logan waved a hand. "It's all right, Alex. I understand. Just try to remember that I'm on your side, all right?"

The corner of his mouth quirked for half a second. "No promises."

He moved to take the seat opposite Logan's desk in an attempt to make himself feel less confrontational. "So if Time Force has been hiding information about its own Rangers ... what else could it have been hiding?" he wondered aloud.

"I don't look forward to finding out," Logan sighed. He looked up again. "Now, you said that the record showed our Rangers helping Wild Force?"

He nodded. "We assume they're joining Wes and Eric in the past, as only six Time Force Rangers were mentioned."

"Not to mention possible complications from having two Red Chrono Morpher in the same time," Logan pointed out. He sighed again. "All right, I'll clear the other three to borrow a time ship to 2002, and have their clothes replicated from the archives. Is there anything else you'll need?"

Alex hesitated. "I've sent Lucas and Katie to pick up Nadira and ask her to speak to Ransik for us, see if they can gather any more information. They'll need clearance to get to him and have him brought out of containment. They may also need to bring Nadira with them when they leave, depending on Ransik's response."

Logan sighed again, reaching up to rub his temples. "I'll get you clearance, but you owe me, Alex," he warned.

Alex smirked faintly as he stood up. "Bill me."

"Computer, deactivate privacy lock," Logan commanded, rolling his eyes.

Alex saluted, and headed for the door. There was still a lot to plan.

... Which did not include finding his brother outside Logan's office, waiting for him.

He swallowed. "Ben."

"Did you find your Pink Ranger?" Ben asked, staring at him intently. "Time Force needs you to find her."

Alex's eyes narrowed slightly. "We're working on it. Time Force can rest assured that we **will** do what we need to."

To his surprise, Ben's eyes brightened, and he actually smiled a little. "Good."

Alex stared at him for a moment. "Ben? What's going on?" he asked softly, keeping his voice too low for anyone to overhear.

Ben shook his head. "Don't worry about it, A. Just let me do my job. You worry about your team, and finding your girl. There's a lot you still need to learn."

Alex frowned. "What are you - "

"Find your Pink Ranger," Ben repeated. He hesitated, and for a moment regret flickered in his eyes. "I'm sorry, A," he murmured. He straightened and walked away without another word.

Alex stared after him.

It wasn't until he actually made it back to Ranger Tower that he finally surrendered to the urge to slam his fist into the wall.

He swore softly as his hand throbbed, glaring down at his bleeding knuckles as if they were responsible for everything wrong in the world. "What are you trying to tell me, Ben?" he demanded. "And why won't you just **say** it already?"

He paused as something occurred to him. A. Ben had called him **A**, not Alex. Which meant ... what **did** it mean? It was important somehow; he just couldn't figure out how.

He let his head fall against the wall with a soft groan. He hated riddles. He hated his brother trying to tell him something he couldn't understand, he hated not knowing what was going on, he hated having to send the Rangers into the past without him, he hated knowing that he was about to be on his own again - even temporarily - and being scared of it.

But more than anything, he **hated** Time Force.

" ... Alex?"

He looked up with a sigh. "Yes, Circuit?"

Trip's pet blinked at him, flapping his arms anxiously. "Are you all right? You don't look so good ... "

He chuckled softly, the corner of his mouth twitching. "I'll be fine, Circuit."

He glanced down at his hand and sighed. He'd better get this taken care of before the others got back or he'd never hear the end of it. "Circuit, I need you to contact the Rangers in the past and let them know Logan cleared us to send them reinforcements."

"Not a problem, Alex!" the little owl returned cheerfully.

"Thanks."

He headed to the medical lab and dug out one of the first aid kits, listening absently to Circuit's call with half an ear. He shook his head as he heard the group he was talking to cheer loudly. He supposed he couldn't blame them for being happy to get help, but ... didn't they realize what this was costing him? Didn't they know how much danger **he'd** be in with the other Rangers gone?

He sighed as he disinfected his split skin. No, of course they wouldn't. Wes and Eric didn't know anything about Time Force in his time, let alone where their morphs came from. And whining about not wanting to be left alone was just selfish. The others **needed** to go, so they could bring in the criminals - Mutorgs, whatever - before anyone else got hurt.

Who came up with 'Mutorgs' anyway? Couldn't they bother giving them names? No wonder there was still so much prejudice against Mutants.

"Alex ... ?" Katie called hesitantly, poking her head through the door. Her eyes widened. "What did you do to your hand?!"

"Punched a wall," he muttered. He sighed as she hurried over to him, taking the scanner from him. "I can do it myself, you know."

"Forgive me if I don't take the word of the guy who was dumb enough to punch the wall," Katie retorted.

He rolled his eyes. "Did Ransik agree to tell Nadira if he knew anything?"

Katie hesitated.

His eyes narrowed. "Katie?"

"About that ... " She swallowed, focusing intently on regenerating the torn skin of his hand.

He closed his eyes, willing himself to be patient. "Katie," he repeated. "Did Ransik agree to help us or not?"

"That's ... sort of the thing," she said slowly. "It's ... more like we're helping each other."

"Helping each other **how**?" he asked suspiciously.

She bit her lip. "Alex ... Did you hear anything about Ransik's sentence being changed when we brought him back?"

He blinked, startled by the sudden change of subject. "No ... Cryogenic Containment for life. That's why Logan had to sign the order to have him released to see you."

She looked up at him worriedly. "Then why was he in a **cell** when we went to have him released?"

Alex went still.

"He wasn't ... " Katie swallowed hard. "He was so ... quiet. And polite. Not like Ransik at all. He even agreed to help us without asking for anything in return."

This from the last kingpin of the 30th century?

"Trip said ... " She hesitated again. "Trip said that something was wrong. That he couldn't explain, but we couldn't just leave Ransik there. So he pulled rank and demanded Ransik be released to us for a Ranger-related mission." She made a weak attempt at a smile. "He even said it was classified. It was the most serious I've ever seen him."

Alex let out a slow breath and finally climbed to his feet. "I want to talk to him," he said quietly.

"Alex, are you sure - "

"I'm sure."

She nodded, hesitated, and followed him silently out to the main room.

Ransik sat quietly in a chair, hands cuffed in front of him. Nadira was talking quietly with Lucas, while Trip and Circuit seemed to be fussing over the comm. Ransik looked up at Alex when he entered, inclining his head. "Ranger," he said calmly.

"Ransik," Alex returned coolly. They'd never exactly been on a first-name basis, and even if Katie's suspicions were right, that didn't mean Alex was willing to start now. This **was** the man who'd put him in a coma, after all.

Katie's hand resting discreetly on his shoulder blade was strangely reassuring.

Trip's head came up, and he whispered something to Circuit before hurrying to Alex's side. "Alex ... " he trailed off.

Alex looked at him briefly before turning his attention back to Ransik. "Has Time Force been performing experiments on you?" he asked bluntly.

Ransik barely blinked. "Yes."

He heard Nadira's horrified gasp, but ignored it. "Have they performed experiments on other prisoners?"

"Since before I arrived at Vanera," Ransik returned.

Alex nodded, unsurprised for reasons he couldn't explain. "Can you prove this?"

Ransik straightened his arms in response. "You have my permission to perform blood work."

He glanced at Trip, who nodded hesitantly and hurried to the medical lab.

"You ... " Nadira looked between her father and Alex, fury creeping into her expression. "You knew about this?" she demanded.

Alex shook his head once. "Not that the experiments were being continued on prisoners," he informed her calmly. "But I knew that Time Force has been performing illegal experiments since I was born, most likely since before even then."

"Alex didn't know about your father, Nadira," Lucas spoke up, looking at her warningly. "None of us did."

She subsided, looking back to Ransik. "Oh, Daddy ... " she whimpered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He tilted his head against hers, looking content.

Alex looked at Katie as Trip returned, hesitantly moving to take blood from Ransik. He glanced at Lucas as he joined them. "You have to take him with you," he said simply. "I'll cover you with Logan, but as soon as Trip gets that blood, the five of you have to leave."

Lucas nodded in agreement, but he didn't look happy about it.

"But what about **you**, Alex?" Katie asked anxiously.

"I'll be fine. It's not the first time I've been on my own, remember?"

"That's not very reassuring," Lucas muttered, eyeing him.

Alex sighed. "I **can't** go with you," he reminded them. "The log only shows six Rangers, not seven. Not to mention the possible complications that could arise from having two Red Chrono Morphers in the same timeline." He knew he was quoting Logan now, but he didn't care. As long as he was talking, he didn't have to think about it. "There's nothing we can do about this. We need to get Ransik and Nadira some place safe, and you three need to go help Jen and the others."

"You really think Jen will be there?" Lucas asked skeptically.

"According to the history log, she will be," he returned calmly. "We need to hurry."

"Alex?"

He looked back at Trip. "Do you have it?"

Trip nodded, looking worried. "I've already put in into the computer for analysis."

He nodded back. "Then let's get moving."


	17. Ransik

I am not a doctor in any remote sense of the word. I have no idea what the medications used here would actually do when combined, I just chose several that seemed appropriate for the effect I was going for. Medications listed are all taken from .

Chapter 17:Ransik

One of the nice things about being a Power Ranger was the ability to make anything look like an important mission simply by morphing. No one contested the four Rangers taking a time ship, even with Ransik and Nadira with them, simply because they had their weapons trained on Ransik to contain him, and all the necessary paperwork. Time Force saw its Rangers doing what seemed to be their job, and they asked no questions.

Which was especially convenient when Alex was giving the other three last-minute instructions over their helmet comms.

"Neutralizing the Mutorgs is your first priority," he lectured. "After you've joined with the other Rangers, go after them - even if Jen isn't with them yet. When you do find Jen, don't tell her why Ransik is with you until you're alone. I don't want the truth about this getting to anyone outside of the five of us."

"Not even Wes and Eric?" Green spoke up hesitantly.

"**Especially** not Wes and Eric," he stated firmly. "They don't need to know how big of a role their lives played in Time Force."

Yellow's helmet turned towards him, and he could almost see her frown. "Alex, they have a right to know about - "

"No, Katie," he said again, shaking his head slightly. "Wes and Eric need to live their lives the way they were meant to. Even **I** know they wouldn't leave Time Force alone if they knew what was really going on."

"I guess you have a point ... " Green mumbled.

"We still don't have like it," Yellow muttered rebelliously.

"What are you going to do here, Alex?" Blue spoke up.

He sighed quietly. "I'm going to investigate Vanera Prison. Ransik's blood work should provide at least a reason to open the case, but without any evidence connecting it to the people performing the experiments, all that's going to happen is the prison being shut down and the prisoners moved elsewhere. Time Force will just get their hands on them again."

Green looked at him, and he could see him try not to fidget. "Alex ... **you** sent most of those prisoners there."

"I know. That's why I owe it to them to put a stop to this."

He looked back as he noted the last of the supplies had been loaded onto the time ship. It was hard to say how long the Rangers would be gone, which is why he'd insisted on giving them clothing, food, equipment, and replicated currency for 2002. Reading reports of how little they'd arrived with during their first trip to the past had appalled him, and he was determined to make sure it didn't happen again.

The three Rangers demorphed in flashes of light as soon as Ransik and Nadira were on the ship, and he followed after a moment's pause.

"Alex ... " Lucas trailed off for a moment. At last he stepped forward, frowning worriedly as he reached for his hand. "Be careful."

He managed a faint smile as he nodded in acknowledgement. "You, too."

Katie launched herself at him, and he winced as he could have sworn he felt his ribs crack. "Don't get hurt," she demanded, sounding tearful. "We'll never forgive you."

Hesitantly, he moved to put his arms around her. "I'll try," he murmured, feeling uncomfortable.

She squeezed again and backed away quickly as she released him, reaching up to brush a hand across her eyes as she smiled shakily. "I mean it, Alex. We'd better come back to find you in one piece."

He raised his eyebrows. "I'm not promising anything," he retorted.

Trip stepped forward, and this time the hug came more easily. "Be careful, Alex," he whispered. "_Saya lias den ii_."

_Lose brother no I_. Alex closed his eyes, squeezing a little tighter. "Same to you," he murmured back.

Trip blinked hard when he finally pulled back, and like Katie his smile was slightly watery.

Alex blinked once, breathed deeply, and felt his nerves calm. "Good luck."

"You, too," Lucas said solemnly.

He felt their gazes linger on him as he moved away from the ship, but he refused to look back. He wouldn't have been able to look away if he did.

"_Initiating Time Flyer Launch Algorithm 4697_," he heard the computer state as he headed back to Ranger Tower. He could have stayed to watch the rest of the launch, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He needed to get to some place safe, somewhere where Time Force couldn't touch him.

Somewhere he could finally give in to the urge to start screaming.

* * *

He retched, bracing his hands on either side of the toilet.

_Computer analysis complete. Results: blood sample contains traces of lorazepam, clonazepam, fluoxetine, ciprofloxacin, metoprolol, prednisone, phentermine, and codeine. Patient is strongly advised to seek immediate medical attention._

Alex had more medical knowledge than he cared to admit to, namely due to reading his own lab reports. He would never be able to equal the knowledge of a real doctor, but he knew more than the average person. Enough to work his way through a lab result.

Three anti-depressants, a medication that stops the multiplacation of bacteria and their DNA, two that slow the heart and nervous system, an appetite suppresant, and almost like an afterthought, a pain reliever. Ransik was lucky to still be alive. Who knew how much longer he'd **stay** that way if Time Force got their hands on him again.

He coughed harshly, leaning his head against the wall in front of him in an effort to cool it.

It was the ciprofloxacin that worried him. It **should** have been a fairly harmless medication, used to treat infections. But Ransik didn't have an infection - he was **born** as a mutant. The 'infection' the drug would be used for was part of what he was. Add enough anti-depressants to sedate an elephant, two medications that would slow his immune system from healing him ...

He didn't even want to know what the appetite suppresant was for.

He retched one last time before at last flushing the remains of his breakfast away and turning to wash his face in the sink. At best, he had evidence that Vanera was trying DNA experimentation on at least one mutant, which was illegal in any sense, and would cause an outcry of moral and mutant rights among the community - not that he would blame anyone for protesting. But he still needed a way to link Vanera to Time Force, proof that Time Force was at the very least aware of the experiments if not directly involved, and data for all those involved in the project.

He found himself wishing revently for proof that Blakemore was involved.

The question now was how to find that evidence. He could go to Vanera himself, but who'd be stupid enough to let him in, let alone near any of their records? It wasn't as if he could walk up to Blakemore and told him he'd changed his mind, that he wanted to work for Time Force alone. He'd gone too far in the last six months for anyone to believe that - even himself.

Could he claim to be touring the prison, to make sure everything was secure? Sneaking in would be too complicated, but that **might** work ... Maybe if he pulled Ranger Rank on them ...

But then, he realized, he didn't exactly have much of a choice, did he?


	18. The Ultimate Betrayal

This chapter was meant to be massively angsty. I'm not sure if I accomplished it as well as I was hoping to, but I like it enough anyway.

Chapter 18:The Ultimate Betrayal

Five minutes after his arrival at Vanera Maximum Security Prison, Alex realized that he'd made a grave mistake.

He could name almost every criminal he passed on sight, could even remember the day he'd arrested them. He could remember their trials, their sentences, could remember them cursing his name and swearing he'd pay for this one day. This prison was practically a memorial to his time as a Ranger.

He couldn't completely suppress the shudder **that** thought envoked.

Nearly very single criminal in this place was there because of **him**. Human, mutant, it didn't matter which. Which also meant that if Ransik wasn't an unusual case, and they were all being tortured ... and it was **his** fault.

He swallowed hard as he noted how strangely quiet the cell block he was currently touring was. Almost every single occupant sat quietly in their cell, watching him walk by without so much as a word. In one cell, he mentally cringed as he saw a very small mutant sobbing quietly in a corner.

This was his legacy. His time working as one of Time Force's mostly high decorated Rangers, reduced to a cell of silence and tears. Because he was 'protecting' Newtech City.

He knew they weren't good people. Some of the crimes they'd been brought in for were truly horrendous; Ransik may have been the biggest name, but he wasn't the worst offender. Even so, **no one** deserved ... this.

He rounded a corner, preparing for another round of solemn, silent inmates, and froze.

Ben walked out of an office, a datapad in one hand. He paused to glance down the line of cells, shaking his head with a look of disgust. Then he turned toward Alex and stopped in midstep, his eyes widening. "A ... "

_"It wasn't their fault no one could predict the way the morpher would react - "_

_"The other Rangers. They've been brainwashing you into thinking Time Force is your enemy."_

_"It's not their fault I was too weak! It ... That doesn't matter anyway. I'm stronger now. I can handle it."_

_"I'm not leaving Time Force, Alex. They gave me my life back. They gave me ... __**me**__. And I'm not going to give that up. Not even for you."_

_"I'm doing what has to be done. Now get out. Your team is probably waiting."_

_"Did you find your Pink Ranger? Time Force needs you to find her."_

_"Don't worry about it, A. Just let me do my job. You worry about your team, and finding your girl. There's a lot you still need to learn."_

_"I'm sorry, A."_

"You knew," he whispered. Dimply he felt himself shaking. "You knew about ... about all of this."

Ben looked pained. "A ... "

"Don't call me that!"

Ben flinched, and a hurt look crossed his face. "A - Alex, you don't understand. This ... this isn't what it looks like."

"It's not what it looks like?" he hissed, fists clenching so hard it hurt. "Then what is it, Benjamin, because it sure looks a lot like what I think it is!"

"Keep your voice down," Ben whispered urgently, looking around anxiously.

"How long have you been a part of this?" Alex demanded furiously. "How long, Ben?!"

Ben closed his eyes briefly. "Since about a week after I woke up. Before you came to find me."

"How could you?" he accused. "How could you even **think** this right? This is - this is **us** Ben! Don't you get that?! You're turning these prisoners into us!"

"Of course I know that!" Ben shouted back at him. "Why do you think I'm even **here**!?" He stopped, shaking his head and trying to take a deep breath. "You don't understand, Alex. You don't know anything." He glared. "Haven't you even bothered looking for Jennifer like I told you to?"

"You mean you told me to look for her because you were trying to keep us way from **this**?" he asked incredulously.

Ben rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up in the air. "Obviously you haven't figured anything out yet, or else you wouldn't be asking me that!"

"The Rangers and I have the situation with the missing Captain Scotts under control," he ground out, trying to keep from throttling Ben right then and there. "Where she is is none of your business."

"Right, because I'm not one of your precious Rangers," Ben returned sarcastically. "Sorry, I forgot how much you value them over your own **brother**."

"You're the one who chose Time Force over me!"

"Only because you're too **stupid** to get what's really important!"

It was the final straw. Alex leapt at him, tackling his brother to the ground. Ben yelped loudly, and kicked him hard in the shin. Alex retaliated by punching him in the jaw.

"Oh, you are **so** in for it now, you arrogant prick!" Ben snarled.

They rolled along the corridor, punches flying. Fighting was something they were used to, something they'd done all their lives. Between sparring matches to build their fighting skills, testing their morphers against one another, and generally learning how to communicate in an environment that never really taught them how to talk to one another, it was what they did. The scientists that had raised them had only encouraged it, sometimes going so far as to place bets on them.

But Alex had eight years of training through Time Force and as a Ranger, six years of growth, and a lot of pent-up anger at his brother on his side. Ben knew **most** of Alex's moves, but not all of them. Not anymore.

By the time they finally separated, Alex's lip was split, he was limping, and his right eye was beginning to swell. Ben looked far more worse for wear, but he also had a tendency to fight dirty. A habit he knew Alex had always hated.

"What's going on here?!" someone bellowed from behind Alex.

Ben's eyes widened fearfully. "He's trying to release the prisoners!" he blurted out. "He's turned against Time Force!"

Alex stared at him, betrayed.

But Ben was already turning his attention to his morpher. "Quantum Power!" he shouted.

A cold feeling settled in Alex's stomach, and he reached for his Chrono Morpher. "Time for, Time Force!"

The prison guards stayed back as the Red and Quantum Rangers circled one another warily. The Quantum Ranger chuckled darkly as he drew his Quantum Defender. "Just like old times, huh A?" he asked softly, sounding almost bitter.

"Not quite," Time Force Red returned cooly. He flicked the settings adjustment on his Chrono Blaster to the highest level, and fired.

Quantum Ranger screamed as he was hit straight on, flailing for a moment before sliding to the ground and falling still.

Time Force Red turned to the prison guards, watching dispassionately as they yelled, running from him in fear.

He walked slowly to the Quantum Ranger's side, demorphing along the way. The other Ranger's uniform flickered and vanished with a burst of red light, leaving Ben lying still. He looked ... small, and young, just lying there like that.

For once, he looked like the sixteen year old he was.

Alex trailed a hand along his brother's cheek. His hand paused at Ben's neck, hesitated, and at last felt for a pulse.

It slowed under his fingertips.

He watched his hand shake for a moment before moving to stand. He needed to leave before the prison guards called someone to contain him. It wasn't impossible for a Power Ranger to be restrained by a non-Ranger - just extremely hard. He had to get out of here.

But for some reason, he found himself walking out to where he'd left his car. He should be running, shouldn't he? He thought he should.

Instead he climbed into his car, activated the hover function, and drove back to Time Force.

Logan was waiting for him in the parking lot. He thought that should be a surprise, but he couldn't remember why.

"Alex, you have to get out of here," Logan hissed at him. He shoved something into his hands. "Here. There's a time ship already waiting for you. Go straight to the launch pad and give them your papers before anyone realizes where you are or where you're going. Hurry!"

He blinked slowly. Orders? He could do orders. "Yessir," he murmured distantly, clenching his hands around the papers Logan had given him.

Logan looked worried for some reason, but Alex didn't ask why because he was supposed to be hurrying. That was his orders.

"Alex, find Jen," Logan commanded him. "She should be with the other Rangers in 2002. Go straight to her."

Find Jen? He could do that. Assuming the others had actually found her, of course.

"Yessir," he said again. He headed for the launch pad to find the time ship he was supposed to take. Should he have saluted before he left? Maybe. He couldn't remember.

Everything seemed to blur together after that. At some point he found himself strapped into a time ship, the papers he'd been holding gone, and a strangely bright blue sky outside the main window. Was that an ocean he was looking at?

Find Jen. He was supposed to find the other Rangers, and therefore find Jen. That was his orders.

He slipped out of the harness and wandered toward the door, waiting for the ramp to finish extending. There was someone on the beach waiting for him. He hoped it was the other Rangers. He didn't really feel like explaining himself to civilians right now.

"Alex!" someone shouted.

Oh, good. Not civilians, then.

He walked toward them slowly, wondering why they were running. Had they missed him or something? No, that couldn't be right. Wes was here.

But he wasn't supposed to be thinking that way anymore, he reminded himself. Jen would be upset. Katie would threaten to hurt him. Trip might cry. He didn't know what Lucas would do, but he didn't think he'd like it.

"Alex!"

There were arms around him, and he thought he smelled Jen's shampoo. He wrapped his arms around her automatically. "Jen?"

She pulled away to look at him, those beautiful brown eyes anxious. "Alex, what happened? What are you doing here?"

"Logan sent me."

She frowned, and her hand came up to rest alongside his cheek. "Alex," she said again, her voice gentle now. "Tell me what happened."

He blinked once, slowly. "I destroyed Ben."


	19. Broken

The first part of this chapter is credited to the lovely aussiechick21, one of 's sweetest Supernatural brotherly love writers. Reading her fics is what inspired it.

Chapter 19:Broken

People were talking, but they weren't talking to him so he tuned them out. There was probably something wrong with how numb he felt right now, but he couldn't quite figure out why. He only knew that now was not the time to figure anything out.

"Let's take a walk, Alex," Jen said suddenly, squeezing his hand. "Just you and me."

He blinked. Was that an order? It didn't really sound like an order. But Jen was asking, and he could never deny her anything.

"Okay," he said finally.

Her hand tightened on his, gently tugging him along after her.

They wandered along the beach, Jen's hand firmly holding his. The other people she'd been talking to remained behind, but he had the impression that some of them weren't happy about it. He supposed he probably should have cared about that for some reason, but he really didn't.

She took him far away from everyone, from even the random civilians on the beach. The cove she found was quiet and abandoned, the water lapping gently at the shore. She pulled him to sit beside her on the sand, and again he obeyed without thinking.

"Talk to me, Alex," Jen said eventually, and her voice was gentle, coaxing. "Tell me what happened."

He stared out at the water. He was aware of her beside him, but she wasn't pushing, and for that he was grateful. He wasn't sure where to begin.

"Did you know Ben was afraid of the dark?" he asked abruptly. "When we were small, he used to crawl into my bed at night because there were no lights and we were all alone in the labs. He was fine during the day with the scientists around, but the moment the lights were out, he'd get so scared. He couldn't fall asleep unless he was holding on to me, because he said then he knew he wasn't alone.

"Trip wasn't like that," he added in afterthought. "Trip liked it better in the dark, when it was just us. But Ben never liked being without adults around. He'd swear later that he'd outgrown it, that he wasn't scared anymore, but I'd hear him lying awake at night. So I'd climb down to his bed and stay with him until he fell asleep. He never said thank you. Not really. But he wouldn't let go of me for anything when he was asleep.

"I knocked out his first tooth," he went on, watching the waves slowly wash against the sand. "Broke his wrist when we were five and we morphed for the first time, because we didn't really know what we were doing. He cried that night after the scientists were gone because it hurt and he didn't understand why. I had to hold him and tell him it was going to be okay, even though I didn't know any better than he did.

"He loved to laugh," he continued, softer now. "He'd giggle over the stupidest things. But it was worth it to see him smile, even though I could never understand how he could find it in him to do it. He always found something to smile about. Even ... even when he was ... " He swallowed, blinking hard. "Even when I was losing him, he'd still try to smile, until he was too far gone to think about anything but pain and morphing."

A million memories splintered, moving in front of his eyes in fragments. A million moments with his brother, fighting, crying, laughing. A million pieces of a life he'd never understood how much he adored, how much he _needed_, until it was gone.

"I shot him that day, you know," he choked out, and his face was wet now. "When he went into the coma. There's nothing to really say it was me, but ... somehow .... I think it was. I knew he was hurting, but they wouldn't let us **stop**, and he was trying so hard to be perfect, to make them proud of him ... "

He shook his head, wiping at his face only to have more tears spill over instantly. "He yelled at the guards that I was trying to release the prisoners, and I'd turned against Time Force. And then he was morphing, and I just couldn't think ... I didn't **want** to think. I was so **angry**," he whispered, clenching his fists as he railed at himself silently. "All I could think was that Trip said the Chrono Blaster's couldn't take down another Ranger, only stun them. But I forgot. I forgot that Ben's morpher was never right. That **Ben** was never ... " He swallowed, scrunching his eyes closed. "He looked so small. So young. I felt his heart slowing down. And ... " He sobbed suddenly, harshly. "I shot my little brother," he sobbed. "I ... I .... "

There were arms around his shoulder, and suddenly Jen was in front of him, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Oh, Alex ... " she whispered brokenly. Her hands came up around his neck, drawing him down to her shoulder, and he clung to her desperately.

"I shot him," he cried, over and over. "I shot my brother."

Jen's hands rubbed along his back soothingly as he howled in grief and loss.

_

* * *

_

-- "He's trying to release the prisoners! He's turned against Time Force!"

_"Quantum Power!"_

_"Time for, Time Force!"_

_"Just like old times, huh A?"_

_"Not quite."_

_The Quantum Ranger screamed as he was hit straight on, flailing for a moment before sliding to the ground and falling still. His uniform flickered and vanished with a burst of red light._

_He approached slowly, looking down at a twelve-year-old Ben as his brother stared up at him with lost, frightened eyes. "A ... Why?" he whispered, his voice filled with betrayal._

_He felt himself shrug carelessly. "You're not one of my Rangers."_

_He fired. --_

"**No**!"

"Easy, easy," an unfamiliar voice soothed, hands gently gripping his shoulders. "It's all right, Alex. You're safe. You were dreaming."

The voice was calming for some reason, and he felt himself slowly relax without thinking. "Where am I?" he muttered distractedly.

"We're at Eric's place. I wanted to take you to my house, but we haven't quite figured out a way to explain you yet, and this was closer."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "Eric's ... ?" he repeated. He didn't know an Eric.

For some reason, the voice seemed to understand that. "Eric Myers, the Quantum Ranger? You're in 2002, remember?" it prodded gently.

2002? What was he doing -

Oh. That's right. He remembered now.

Slowly he forced himself to look up into his predecessor's eyes. "Thank you," he managed stiffly.

Wes smiled a little, but it seemed forced. "You **really** don't like me, do you?" he asked, sounding almost amused.

Alex sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "It's not - " He paused, and sighed again. "No. I don't," he said finally.

There was a long pause. "Is it because of Jen?" Wes asked eventually, sounding hesitant. "Because you should know, that Jen and I are - "

"No, it's not," he interrupted. "At least, not anymore." He shook his head slowly. "It's complicated."

" ... Can you try and explain it?"

Wes shifted a little in his chair when Alex looked up at him. "It's just ... I really don't think you're a bad guy, Alex," he explained, seeming nervous for some reason. "And I always wondered why you hated me so much."

_I don't hate you_.

He wanted to say the words, tried so hard to push them past his throat ... but he couldn't. Because on some level, he would always hate Wesley Collins. Whether he wanted to or not, it had become too much a part of who he was.

Wes laughed softly in the silence, sounding bitter. "I guess you really do hate me," he murmured.

"I don't want to," Alex said at last, keeping his eyes on the foot of the couch he'd been laying on. "I just ... "

He was silent for a moment, trying to decide how much he should allow Wes to know. Eventually he let out another soft sigh. "I was made the Red Ranger because of my connection to you. It's why I was chosen, and Time Force has always pushed me to follow in your footsteps."

There was a long pause.

"I guess I can see why you'd resent me for that," Wes admitted.

"You st - " He caught himself, clearing his throat. "You bonded with the other Rangers in a way I never had, and Jennifer fell in love with you, to the point that she returned my ring."

"She what?" Wes looked startled. "But ... she - "

"The Rangers chose you. Jen chose you. Even - " Alex swallowed, trying to reign in his temper. "Even my morpher was made for you. It's ... I'm just .... " He trailed off. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to say those words in front of Wes, either.

The hand that reached out to squeeze his startled him into looking up, and he stared in surprise as his eyes met Wes'.

"I'm sorry, Alex," the other man told him sincerely, looking genuinely regretful. "I never knew ... If there was anyway I could make it better for you, I would. I know you don't have any reason to believe that - and I don't blame you, really I don't - but I would. No one has any right to make you feel like my replacement."

Alex's eyes widened as Wes said the word he'd been avoiding. "I ... "

Wes offered a hesitant smile. "For what it's worth ... I always felt like I was trying to replace **you**."

Alex blinked at him for a moment. "Our lives are seriously twisted, aren't they?" he asked eventually.

To his surprise, Wes threw back his head and laughed. It was a bright, open laugh, one he'd never seen in any picture of him in the archives. It was ... strange, to see a side of him Time Force hadn't reduced to data.

"I guess they are," Wes chuckled, shaking his head with a grin.

Feeling unsettled and not really knowing why, Alex settled for looking around what was apparently Eric's living room. "Where is everyone, anyway?"

"That would be the million dollar question," Wes agreed, flashing Alex another grin when he looked at him in surprise. "Eric's at work. Jen said something about securing the time ship and dealing with Ransik - I'm guessing it has to do with him being healed - "

"He was what?" Alex demanded sharply, sitting up straight.

Wes blinked at him. "Oh, that's right - you wouldn't know." He looked apologetic. "When Ransik fought against the Mutorgs, he went to contain their energy blast. Somehow it healed his mutant DNA."

Alex stared at him. "That's not possible," he said blankly.

Wes shrugged. "Just telling you what I know," he returned. He shook his head. "Anyway, Jen wanted you to stay here and rest up. So let me know when you figure out what you want to do, so we can get out of here before she gets back."

It took a moment for the words to register, and then they did, Alex looked at his predecessor oddly. "You want to be gone **before** Jen gets back, even though she specifically told us to stay put?"

Wes grinned at him. "Jen and I have a thing about not doing what each other tells us to do, especially when there's injuries involved," he explained. "So. Anywhere you want to go? I can lend you something to wear so you'll blend in. We're about the same size, right?"

Alex opened his mouth to politely refuse and paused. "Actually," he said slowly. "There is one thing I'd like to do ... "


	20. Realizations

Wes is possibly a bit OOC in this chapter, but I plan to explain it later. And now, for those of you who hated Ben? Oops. ^_~

Chapter 20:Realizations

Standing near the edge of the Collin's estate, hidden in a grove of trees, Alex stared at the bonfire they'd prepared.

He wore one of Wes' shirts and a pair of Eric's jeans, because it had turned out on closer examination that he was actually slightly taller than Wes - only a few inches, but it had surprised him none the less. He'd also realized that Wes' jaw line was softer and rounder than his own. There were other differences, but it was so subtle you had to be looking them both directly in the face at the same time to see it.

His Time Force uniform lay on top of the woodpile, neatly folded.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Wes asked hesitantly.

Alex nodded slowly, still staring at his uniform. "I need to. I need ... " Closure? Release? He wasn't quite sure what it was he was looking for in doing this. "Something," he finished finally. "I just ... need to do this."

"Do you want me to leave?" Wes offered, still looking unsure.

To his own surprise, he found himself shaking his head.

Wes hesitated again, and a hand reached up to squeeze his shoulder in support. "Okay," he agreed softly.

He wasn't sure why he wanted Wes here, but hadn't called any of the others. Part of him wanted to be alone, but Wes ... even if he didn't know, couldn't know, something about his presence was reassuring. Maybe that was what had drawn the Rangers to him.

Closing his eyes briefly, Alex took a deep breath, and at last struck a match, crouching down to light the wood. He waited until he saw the flames slowly begin to lick upwards before striking another, moving around to a different side. He lit several places, at last moving back to his original position to watch the fire slowly build up.

Wes' hand settled back on his shoulder, squeezing lightly.

"I lost my brother today."

He felt Wes start beside him. He wasn't sure why he was talking at all, let alone to **Wes**, but he couldn't stop himself. "He's the only family I've ever had," he continued. "Just him and Trip - and never together. They didn't know each other," he explained. "I don't know if they'd even have gotten along. Ben was really jealous that I'd adopted Trip - he always had me all to himself."

He took a deep breath and felt something tighten in his chest. "Time Force isn't what you think it is, Wes," he said softly. "It's not even what **I** think it is. It's ... " He shook his head. "I lost my brother because of Time Force. I'm the one who pulled the trigger, but it never would have happened if we hadn't been taking sides. They made us who we are, but without them ... " He closed his eyes for a moment. "I probably wouldn't have been born without Time Force, but Ben would never have suffered if we hadn't been part of it."

He saw Wes swallow out of the corner of his eye.

"He was my little brother," he whispered, vision starting to blur. "And now he's gone, and I don't know what to do anymore."

He wasn't expecting the arm that went around his shoulders, squeezing tightly now. "I wish I could give you an answer, Alex," Wes said quietly, his voice filled with pained sympathy. "I wish I could tell you what comes next, or even what to do. I wish there was some way I could make this better."

"But you can't," he murmured. _Nothing can make this better._

He didn't know how long they stood there, Wes' arm around him as they watched the fire burn. There should have been a sense of satisfaction from watching the Time Force symbol slowly burn away to nothing, but all he felt was numb. Burning his uniform, his last connection to Time Force besides his morpher, was a statement. He would **never** go back to Time Force. He didn't know what he was going to do with his life now, but he would never call himself a Time Force officer again.

There was no Time Force without Ben, and his brother's memory would haunt the halls forever.

"Alex ... " Wes ventured suddenly, his voice soft and uncertain. "I, um ... " He swallowed audibly, and Alex glanced at him. "When you were changing, I found this in one of your uniform pockets."

Alex stared down at the device being offered to him. "It's a datapad," he said blankly. "But I wasn't carrying - "

_Ben walking out of an office, a datapad in one hand. He paused to glance down the line of cells, shaking his head with a look of disgust. His eyes widening as he saw Alex. "A ... "_

"Ben ... " he breathed.

He snatched the datapad from Wes' hands, hastily bringing it out of sleep mode. It was password protected, and he entered the words 'Quantum Power' without stopping to think about it. The device beeped compliantly, and a list of files popped up.

Alex felt the color drain from his face. He selected one file, then another, skimming through their contents quickly. Each one he looked at was the same.

"Alex? What is it?" Wes asked urgently.

There was no way Ben could have dropped this. For it to be in his **pocket** it would have had to have been -

Slipped in while they were fighting.

_"I'm doing what has to be done. Now get out. Your team is probably waiting."_

_"Don't worry about it, A. Just let me do my job. You worry about your team, and finding your girl. There's a lot you still need to learn."_

_"I'm sorry, A."_

_"A - Alex, you don't understand. This ... this isn't what it looks like."_

_"Keep your voice down."_

_"Of course I know that! Why do you think I'm even __**here**__!? You don't understand, Alex. You don't know anything. Haven't you even bothered looking for Jennifer like I told you to?"_

_"Obviously you haven't figured anything out yet, or else you wouldn't be asking me that!"_

_"Only because you're too __**stupid**__ to get what's really important!"_

_"Just like old times, huh A?"_

_"Just like old times, huh A?"_

_"Just like old times, huh A?"_

"Oh my - " Alex choked, doubled over, and stumbled to some bushes, retching violently. The words kept repeating through his head, over and over. _"Just like old times, huh A?"_

Hands caught his shoulders, supporting him and rubbing his back as he threw up. "Easy," a voice soothed. "Deep breaths, Alex. Just try to breathe, okay? Don't fight it."

_Wes_, he realized dimly. _Wes is here._ Why was his voice so comforting?

Eventually his stomach stopped spasming, leaving him shaking as he closed his eyes against the sudden headache. "Ben ... " he wheezed, coughing harshly.

"Easy, easy," Wes murmured again, and the hand continued to rub his back. "What about Ben? What did you figure out?"

"He's been trying to tell me something for weeks," he whispered. His throat hurt. "I **knew** he was trying to say something, but I couldn't ... I couldn't figure it out .... "

_Facing off against his brother because they were told to, fighting because it was an order. But each night, they would swear that neither had meant it, taking care of each others' injuries. They had promised that no matter what they did during the day for the scientists, they were brothers first. That they were __**always**__ on the same side._

_How could I forget?_ he moaned silently. _How could I ... Ben, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry_.

He'd shot Ben ... when his brother was probably trying to save his life.

He didn't even realize he'd started crying until Wes hugged him, making soothing noises. He should have protested, should have pushed him away - he wasn't a child. But he couldn't find the strength to care.

His brother was gone, and it was _all his fault_.

* * *

Wes opened the door quietly, gesturing for Alex to go in first. Neither had said anything in hours, not even when they'd taken care of the remains of the fire. Alex was still reeling, and Wes seemed to understand that.

He wondered distantly if Wes had always been this kind, but he hadn't wanted to see it.

"Where have you two **been**?"

"Jen," Wes cut in, shaking his head. "Not now."

Her eyes roamed over them both for a moment before at last settling on Alex. She frowned, moving toward him with a look of concern. "Alex? What happened?" she asked worriedly.

He looked up at her, noting Lucas, Katie, and Trip had been waiting up for them as well. Reaching into his pocket, he removed the datapad and offered it to her silently.

She accepted it with another frown, skimming through the contents. Her eyes widened, and she sucked in her breath sharply. "Alex, this is ... " She looked up, worried and frantic all at once. "Where did you get this? **How** did you get this?" she demanded.

He swallowed. "Ben," he explained slowly, "Was spying on Time Force."


	21. Beware the Coffee

I do not know why coffee is the key item of this chapter, but I'm amused by it. No, I'm not craving any. (Although I did have some icky McDonald's coffee yesterday, so maybe that's why.)

-Pauses- Actually, I think this is BlackCrimsonLight's fault.

Chapter 21:Beware the Coffee

"I don't like this," Jen said stubbornly.

The corner of Alex's mouth twitched at the irony. Hadn't he tried telling her that weeks ago, and she was the one arguing against it? "It's safer this way," he reminded her patiently. "The less people we have to explain my presence to, the better. And Eric only has one couch."

"You already met Wes' father," she argued.

"No, I didn't," he countered. "He was unconscious when I saw him - he never saw me. And I'd like to keep it that way."

Alex wasn't sure how to deal with the older man as it was; Wes and Eric were hard enough on their own. And he had gotten the impression that Alan Collins wouldn't like knowing where his 'grandson' came from. The last thing he wanted was to upset him.

"We agreed to stick together," she told him firmly.

He raised his eyebrows. "Are you saying it isn't safe for me to stay with Eric?"

She hesitated, caught.

He sighed. "I won't leave the house until one of you comes to get me. You can always contact me later. And there isn't enough room here for all of us." He reached out to squeeze her shoulder "I'll be fine," he insisted softly.

Jen bit her lip uncertainly. "Alex ... "

"I'll be **fine**," he said again, staring at her.

She sighed. "All right. You're right," she admitted reluctantly. "Let's go guys."

She paused, hesitating, and wrapped her arms tightly around Alex. "Stay safe," she whispered in his ear, turning to kiss his cheek.

"You, too," he murmured.

"Stay out of trouble," Katie warned him, and turned to point threateningly at Eric. "Both of you."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Yeah, leaving the two of us alone for the night is really asking for it," he said sarcastically.

Lucas snorted, looking amused. "You have no idea."

They both gave him a dirty look.

Alex noticed Wes' start out of the corner of his eye, but he wasn't sure why.

"Well, we'd better get going," Trip said hastily. "Be careful, Alex," he added, turning pleading eyes on him.

Alex sighed. "I'm not leaving the house Trip, I promise. And the most dangerous thing in this place is the coffee pot. I'll be fine."

Trip frowned. "But ... the history logs say that the Power Rangers of the late twentieth century were always fighting monsters made from objects around them."

Eric stiffened, glancing through the kitchen doorway with an almost protective look on his face.

"That was a long time ago, Trip," Wes assured him. "No one's going to attack Eric's coffee pot."

"They'd better not," Eric muttered.

Trip didn't look convinced. "But - "

"Trip," Alex cut in. "We'll be fine. If the coffee pot turns into a monster while we're sleeping, I'll call. Now get going."

"We'll see you guys in the morning," Wes promised, trying not to grin as he pushed Trip out the door. "Night, guys!"

"Good night," Alex and Eric said in unison.

There was a long pause after the door finally shut, both of them listening for the sound of an engine turning over. They sighed in relief when they heard it fade away into the night. "There's blankets in that closet," Eric informed him after a moment, pointing. He headed for the bedroom, calling over his shoulder "And if you shoot my coffee pot - for **any** reason - I will hurt you later."

Alex smirked. "Good night, Eric."

"Whatever."

* * *

" ... What are you doing playing video games at - " Eric paused to squint at a clock. "Three in the morning?!"

Alex barely glanced at him. "Couldn't sleep. What are you doing up?"

"Dreamed my coffee pot was trying to strangle me in my sleep," Eric muttered darkly, ignoring Alex's snort as he moved to sit on the floor next to him. He stared blankly at the TV for a moment. "You play Street Fighter?" he asked finally.

Alex nodded shortly. "It's one of my favorites."

Eric watched him play for several minutes. "You stay in training mode all the time, or you want a real match?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Gimme a minute."

They sat in silence again as Alex continued to destroy his opponent, only to have him regenerate and be attacked again. He'd been at this long enough that his thumbs were starting to hurt, but he couldn't find the will to care. All that mattered was the game.

" ... You got something against Ryu?"

Alex glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before turning his attention back to the screen. "No. Why?"

"You said you needed a minute. It's been fifteen and you're still trying to rip him to pieces."

"Am not," he said automatically.

"Then what are you calling it?"

"Training."

Several more minutes passed before Eric shifted uncomfortably. "Wes said something about you losing a brother."

His finger slipped on the controller. He made up for it with a fierce combo attack. "What about it?"

"Look, I'm not exactly a psychiatrist, but your brother wouldn't have happened to have been blond, would he?" he asked dryly, eyeing the screen as Ken crushed Ryu yet again.

His grip tightened, and he swiftly exited training mode to start player vrs. player. "What if he was?" he demanded sharply.

Eric raised his hands in surrender even as he reached for the second controller. "Just asking. Relax."

This time, Alex chose to play as Ryu. "You up for this?" he asked finally.

"You have any idea how long it's been since I've had a real match?" Eric retorted, shooting him a glare as he selected Cracker Jack. "Wes sucks at fighting games. He's an RPGer."

Alex made a face reflexively before turning his attention to the match. "It's been awhile since I've played like this," he admitted finally. "No one else I know plays. Especially not something as old as this."

"They don't have Street Fighter in the thirtieth century?"

"Only as a classic."

"Remind me never to go there."

Alex smirked faintly. "Done."

They fell silent after that as both began to concentrate more on the game. Their skills were equal; their styles different, but still challenging each other. Alex liked to use flashy combos that would leave his thumbs aching for hours later. Eric favored hitting hard and fast, never letting up until Alex managed to escape by using said combo.

It was sheer chance that Alex found the ultimate move. His thumbs throbbed like crazy as they flew across the controller. But it was worth it to see the look on Eric's face as 'K.O.' flashed across the screen. He whooped, throwing his arms up in the air.

Eric shot him a dark glare. "Beginner's luck." he humphed.

Alex smirked back in spite of himself. "Nice try. I've been playing for six years. It's called 'skill'."

"It's called beginner's luck." Eric retorted, refusing to give in. He wasn't angry, though. He wasn't glaring anymore, and Alex could see him fighting a smile.

Alex just snickered. "All right. Care to try again?"

"You're on."

* * *

Something about the sunrise over Silver Hills was inherently different from what he would have seen over Newtech City. He wasn't sure if it had to do with a lack of smog, the position of the sun, or something timeline related. Either way, it was beautiful.

He glanced up as a motorcycle slowed to a stop in front of the house and parked. Wes reached up to remove his helmet, raising his eyebrows. "You're up early," he remarked. "Where's Eric?"

"Cursing my existence." He smirked faintly when Wes started. "Shower," he clarified.

"So why's he cursing your existence?" Wes asked curiously as he climbed the stairs.

"He pulled an all-nighter and he's supposed to be working today."

Wes winced. "Ouch. What'd you two do?"

"Played video games." He smiled faintly, barely aware he was doing it. "It was fun."

Wes smiled back at him. "I think I'll go start some coffee to see if I can get on Eric's good side early. Want some?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Sure."

"How do you take it?"

He looked up at that, frowning. "What?"

"Your coffee," Wes explained patiently. "How do you take your coffee. Cream, sugar, black?"

He stared blankly at him. "Just coffee, thanks."

Wes nodded, and he shook his head as the other man headed inside. The twenty-first century was **weird**.

Eventually he heard footsteps behind him. "Jen and the guys said they were going to do some research and get the time ships ready for the trip home," Wes spoke up behind him. He hesitated. "I wish you guys didn't have to leave so soon," he murmured.

Alex sighed. "Me, too," he admitted. "Unfortunately, there's ... unfinished business we need to take care of."

A coffee mug appeared beside him, and he accepted it with a nod. "Thanks."

Later he would be forced to admit that he had honestly forgotten that they both wore the Red Chrono Morpher on their left wrist.


	22. A Life Unknown

This was one of the hardest chapters to write yet. It's **meant** to be confusing, so don't worry if you don't get everything. Also, angst warning, because my Wes and Alex don't have happy childhoods.

Chapter 22:A Life Unknown

_-- He stared_ _down at his brother, sleeping peacefully on his medical table. The pain medication he'd stolen from the cabinet earlier seemed to be helping. At least, that's what he hoped it was. Either way, Ben hadn't stirred for hours, even though his left leg had been tweaked at an awkward angle as he moved in his sleep._

_He carefully adjusted the leg before he could injure it further. Not that it really made much of a difference anymore. Ben hadn't been able to feel his legs in a month, according to the medical logs._

_The logs said they were twelve years of age. Did all twelve year olds go through this? Was it normal for 'puberty' as the scientists called it, to hurt so much?_

_Why was he questioning what had always been?_

_"Alex...?"_

_He immediately snapped his mind back to the present, focusing his gaze on his brother. "What is it?"_

_Ben's solemn eyes met his. "I'm going to die, Alex."_

_His heart clenched, and he cried out his protest irrationally. "No, you're not! It...everything's gonna be okay. I'll take care of you." _I won't let it end like this! _he shouted silently. _

_He could see that it took effort for Ben to squeeze his hand. "Listen, Alex. You've gotta let me go. The others are gonna need you. Just...be happy, okay? Don't keep pushing them away."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"Trust them. You'll need each other. And let me go when it happens. I'll..." He yawned, his eyes drifting closed again. "Have faith, okay? It'll ...be...."_

_"Ben?!" Panic at the sudden silence had him frantically searching for a pulse. He found it at the same moment he realized Ben had merely drifted off back to sleep, and felt foolish._

_"I won't give you up that easily." he hissed at his brother's unconscious form. "I won't let you leave me alone." --_

-- _He headed to the medical lab and dug out one of the first aid kits, listening absently to Circuit's call with half an ear. He shook his head as he heard the group he was talking to cheer loudly. He supposed he couldn't blame them for being happy to get help, but ... didn't they realize what this was costing him? Didn't they know how much danger __**he'd**__ be in with the other Rangers gone?_

_He sighed as he disinfected his split skin. No, of course they wouldn't. Wes and Eric didn't know anything about Time Force in his time, let alone where their morphs came from. And whining about not wanting to be left alone was just selfish. The others __**needed**__ to go, so they could bring in the criminals - Mutorgs, whatever - before anyone else got hurt._ --

-- _"Hey, Collins!"_

_He tensed, trying not to look. They were just trying to make him react. He __**knew**__ that. He'd just get in more trouble if he said anything._

_"Is it true your mom's a retard?"_

_He froze._

_"I heard she lives in the place where they put crazy people."_

_Snickering._

_"So his mom's crazy __**and**__ stupid? Wow, no wonder he's so dumb. Hey, __**Collins**__! What's it like to be a retard, just like your mommy?"_

_He charged, tackling the other boy to the ground. "Shut up shut up shut up!" he screamed at him, punching, kicking, anything to hurt him. "You don't know anything! __**You're**__ the retard!"_ --

-- _Ben's eyes widened fearfully. "He's trying to release the prisoners!" he blurted out. "He's turned against Time Force!"_

_He stared at him, betrayed._

_But Ben was already turning his attention to his morpher. "Quantum Power!" he shouted._

_A cold feeling settled in his stomach, and he reached for his Chrono Morpher. "Time for, Time Force!"_

_The prison guards stayed back as the Red and Quantum Rangers circled one another warily. The Quantum Ranger chuckled darkly as he drew his Quantum Defender. "Just like old times, huh A?" he asked softly, sounding almost bitter._

_"Not quite," Time Force Red returned coolly. He flicked the settings adjustment on his Chrono Blaster to the highest level, and fired._ --

-- _"I am __**not**__ a Ranger," he said darkly._

_Logan glared, but he wasn't back down. "The deal was that you wear it in case of emergencies. Not that you use it as an excuse to cause trouble."_

_"Is that what you think I was doing?" he demanded incredulously. He gestured to his nose. "Yeah, I __**live**__ for stuff like this. I told you I don't want the stupid thing, and you __**made**__ me take it."_

_"And we've been over this," Logan ground out. "You are the only one capable of using that morpher, therefore it now belongs to you. That doesn't give you the excuse to act like such a child about it!"_

_"Acting like a child?" He laughed, a low, bitter sound. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Trip's flinch. "I'm acting like a child." He shook his head, amused. "You know what? Fine. Punish me. Fire me. Whatever. I don't care anymore." He turned for the door._

_"I'm not finished with you, Collins!"_

_"Well, I'm finished with you," he snapped back. He paused in the doorway to look back at them, shaking his head. "I'm finished with all of you. You want the Red Chrono Morpher? You can have it." He ripped it from his wrist without a second thought, throwing it at Kendall's head. "Go give it to the real Wesley Collins. His replacement quits." _--

-- _"__**Again**__?! Wesley, this is the third school in six months! When are you going to grow up and learn to handle your problems like an adult?!"_ --

-- _"Subject A's growth rate seems to be much slower than Subject B."_

_"Perhaps Subject A is defective?"_

_"He'd better not be. The last thing we need is another setback because Subject A had to be scrapped in favor of Subject B."_

_"Should we try another supplemental vitamin boost?"_

_Someone sighed. "Why not? Anything to make that stupid child improve."_

_He bit his lip, creeping back around the doorway to stare down at the cut on his hand. He sniffled, blinking hard._

_Another small hand closed around his wrist, and he looked up to see his brother watching him with worried eyes. "S'okay, Alex," Ben promised. "I don' mind if you take longer t' learn stuff. I think you're __**real**__ smart. You teach me stuff all the times!"_

_He sniffled again and tried to smile. "Thanks, Benji."_ --

-- _"What do you want?" he ground out._

_"It's simple, Alexander." Blakemore leaned forward, steepling his fingers together as his smile vanished. "It's always been simple. You will stop fraternizing with the other Time Force Rangers. They are your subordinates, nothing more. If you do not, we'll have to get ... persuasive."_

_"And what makes you think I see them as more than subordinates now?" he retorted, leaning against a wall indifferently._

_"You'd better." Blakemore stood, his eyes narrowing. "Time Force will have it's Rangers, Alexander. And Rangers don't. Need. 'Friends'."_

_"Rangers, or me?" he returned coldly._

_For some reason, that made Blakemore smile. "Now you've got the picture." He came closer, and it was hard for Alex to keep himself from moving away. "I don't want you distracted from what you are," Blakemore said softly. "You are Time Force's Red Ranger. That is all you are, and all you will ever need to be."_

_He snorted, ignoring the cold ache in his chest. "You mean I'm your replacement for Wesley Collins. You can't have him, so you made me instead."_

_Blakemore laughed, reaching out to pat his head. "That's my boy," he said condescendingly. "Now you've got the picture."_ --

-- _"You're __**what**__?"_

_He'd never heard his father sound so cold._

_He swallowed hard, trying to stay firm in his decision. "I'm dropping out of college," he repeated. "I'm sorry Dad, but I'm just not cut out for medical school."_

_"Your grades say otherwise," his dad argued. "Sure, you have behavioral problems, but you'll grow out of that. Who instigated this? I'll give them a piece of my mind - "_

_"Dad!" he cut in sharply. He sighed, fighting to keep from running a hand over his hair in frustration. "Dad, this was __**my**__ decision. Nobody talked me into it. I'm just not any __**good**__ at this." His expression softened. "I'm sorry Dad, but I'm just not cut out to be a doctor. It's not me."_

_"We'll see about that."_ --

-- _"But Daddy - "_

_"I said __**no**__ Wesley! I'm too busy to play right now, can't you understand that?" Daddy snapped at him._

_He bit his lip, trying not to cry. Daddy only called him Wesley when he was in __**big**__ trouble. He was in trouble lots lately. "Sorry," he whispered, taking his baseball and glove and shuffling off to put them away._ --

-- _He didn't bother looking out over the audience the way the other cadets were. Trip had wanted to come, but he was still in class and couldn't get released - not even to watch the graduation. There was no one else who would have cared that he'd completed his Time Force training. That he was graduating at the top of his class, and already had three recommendations on his record: two for Squad Leader, and one for the Ranger Program._

_But no one cared about that. No one ever would._ --

-- _"I'm sorry, Alex," the other man told him sincerely, looking genuinely regretful. "I never knew ... If there was anyway I could make it better for you, I would. I know you don't have any reason to believe that - and I don't blame you, really I don't - but I would. No one has any right to make you feel like my replacement."_

_His eyes widened as Wes said the word he'd been avoiding. "I ... "_

_Wes offered a hesitant smile. "For what it's worth ... I always felt like I was trying to replace __**you**__."_ --

-- _Logan looked worried for some reason, but he didn't ask why because he was supposed to be hurrying. That was his orders._

_"Alex, find Jen," Logan commanded him. "She should be with the other Rangers in 2002. Go straight to her."_

_Find Jen? He could do that. Assuming the others had actually found her, of course._

_"Yessir," he said again. He headed for the launch pad to find the time ship he was supposed to take. Should he have saluted before he left? Maybe. He couldn't remember._ --

-- _She managed a smile. "I'm fine, Papa. Really. I just missed you."_

_"Is that my little girl I'm hearing?"_

_Jen's smile widened as she turned. "Dad! Oomph!" _

_She laughed as she was squeezed so tight he lifted her off her feet, wrapping her arms tight around Peter's neck. "I missed you too Dad, but I need to breathe!"_ --

-- _Warmth. Comfort. Love. A heartbeat under his ear, a deep voice speaking softly. He yawned, and went to sleep._ --

-- _She wasn't very big. Weren't Mommies supposed to be tall? Why was his so short? _

_Was she defective? Did they have to send her back like they did with his remote control car? His eyes widened. But - but they couldn't! He only just got to meet her! He didn't mind if his mommy was defective, honest!_

_"Wes." Daddy's voice was soft, but firm. "Say hello."_

_He hesitated, biting his lip uncertainly and scuffing his foot a little. "Hi," he whispered, waving shyly._

_Mommy smiled at him, and it made her whole face light up. "Baby!" she greeted brightly, waving back enthusiastically. She hugged her elbows and rocked her arms._

_He frowned. "M' not a baby," he protested. "M' __**five**__."_

_"That's her name for you, Wes," Daddy explained quietly. "You're her baby."_

_"Oh." He frowned more. "I __**guess**__ that's okay ... "_

_"Do you remember the sign I taught you for mother?" Daddy prodded._

_He thought for a moment. "Oh! Yeah!" he said brightly. He held his hand up, spreading all his fingers wide, and moved to put his thumb against on his forehead. Then he stopped, frowning. That wasn't it. It was ... He struggled for a moment to remember, and finally put his thumb against his chin, wiggling his fingers energetically. "Hi, Mommy!"_

_His mommy smiled bigger, holding her arms out to him._

_Hugs! He loved hugs. Phillips gave them lots, but Daddy didn't always remember now that he was busy so much. He climbed into her lap, quickly throwing his arms around her neck and squeezing tightly._

_She squeezed back, and hummed softly in his ear._

_He blinked, confused by this. Daddy didn't hum or sing. Phillips only did when he asked him to. But she did, and he hadn't even had to ask._

_He snuggled closer, listening. Maybe his mommy wasn't so defective after all._ --

-- _"Good catch, Master Wesley!" Phillips called. _--

-- _"So ... does this mean we can go back to the cookies?" Trip asked hopefully._ --

-- _"He was my little brother," he whispered, vision starting to blur. "And now he's gone, and I don't know what to do anymore."_ --

-- _"So if Time Force has been hiding information about its own Rangers ... what else could it have been hiding?" he wondered aloud._

_"I don't look forward to finding out," Logan sighed._ --

-- _He stared at the file in his hands. It had taken a lot of work to break the lock on the cabinet, but Ben had been __**sure**__ there was something important in there. He had lots of conspiracy theory about the scientists keeping some sort of big secret from them, something __**huge**__. It ranged from being kidnapping victims taken from rich parents, to clones, to abused orphans taken from the child care system, to aliens, to more things than he cared to remember._

_But apparently, Ben's theories weren't so crazy after all._

_"Well?" Ben demanded impatiently, feet kicking back and forth under the desk he was sitting on. "What does it say?"_

_"We're twins," he murmured, still struggling to grasp what he was seeing. "Biologically speaking."_

_"We already knew that," Ben dismissed, but he still brightened at the confirmation that they really were brothers. "Isn't there anything else?"_

_He looked up slowly, his hands clenching around the datapad. "Yeah," he managed finally. "We have parents."_

_Ben's eyes went wide. "__**Seriously**__?" he squeaked. "Like, __**real**__ parents? Not just test tubes like they said?" He jumped off the table, rushing to grab his brother's arm and peering over his shoulder so he could see. "Well? Who are they?"_

_He swallowed. "Genetically speaking, Wesley Collins and Eric Myers."_ --

The red light finally faded from the two Red Chrono Morphers, leaving both Alex and Wes blinking rapidly. They each jerked their hand away on reflex, taking a few steps back as they tried to understand what had just happened.

_Alexander Collins_, Alex reminded himself, trying to focus. _My name is Alexander Alan Collins - no, I don't have a middle name, that's Wes. I was born April 20th, 1980 - no, that's not right,_ he rebuked himself again, feeling frustrated. _I was born in __**2980**__. My brother's name is Benjamin Myers. I am -_

"A - Alex ... " Wes murmured, shaking his head slowly. He looked up, blinking for a moment. Abruptly his eyes began to widen. "You're ... you're my **son**?"


	23. Proud

Not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I never quite knew where I was going with it, either. It's a very hard reaction to interpret, and I'm hoping it comes across well. -Fidgets-

Chapter 23:Proud

Alex stared at Wes, startled. "What?" He paused, shaking his head. "No. No, it's not ... I'm not - " He cut himself off with a sigh, because he was rambling. "I'm not your son," he said firmly moving to stand.

Wes frowned uncertainly as he followed. "But ... the files ... what I - I mean, you, told Ben - "

He shook his head again. "Do you know how children are born in our time?"

"Um ... Ransik told me once. Something to do with test tubes and genetic creation .... "

He nodded, slightly disturbed at Ransik being the one to explain it. "That's how Ben and I were born. It just happens that Time Force used genetic material taken from you and Eric to create us."

Wes looked at him for a moment, raising his eyebrows. "And ... how is that different from you being my son?" he asked after a long pause. An odd look flickered over his face. "You're ... **Eric's** and my son. You're our ... " He paled slightly and swallowed, muttering "Well, that explains a lot ... "

Alex sighed. "It takes a lot more than providing genetic material to become a parent," he pointed out irritably. He was starting to get **really** sick of being compared to Eric. He still didn't know what it was that everyone thought they were seeing to compare them at all.

"And you've never had one," Wes countered.

Alex scowled, because Wes wasn't exactly wrong on that. "Wes, it's genetic material. You have no obligation to - "

"Hey!" Wes interjected sharply, and now he was the one glaring. "You don't get to tell me where my obligations are, Alexander!"

Something about the tone made him instinctively flinch. "Stop that," he snapped back. "You're not - " he stopped himself again, shaking his head. "Stop it."

Wes continued to glare at him, folding his arms now. "Alex, you don't get to tell me how I feel about you or define what our relationship is."

"**What** relationship?" Alex demanded. "We hardly know each other!"

Wes shook his head. "I may be a little ... confused, about what just happened - and don't even try to tell me **you're** not - but I know ... " He hesitated suddenly, swallowing. "I know that I know more about you now than **anyone**. And I think you can say the same."

He frowned uncertainly. "Maybe," he admitted reluctantly, even as he silently acknowledged that Wes was right.

Wes looked at him for a long moment, and eventually something in his face softened slightly. Alex swallowed before Wes even moved forward, knowing somehow what that look meant.

Wes' hand moved slowly, staying in his line of sight, before coming to rest on his cheek. Alex shifted uncomfortably at how close he was, but tried to keep himself from moving away. He knew that Wes would let him, but it felt like surrendering somehow.

"I know you, Alex," Wes said again, his voice soft. "I know how you grew up, I know what you've been through, and I know how hard you've fought to get where you are now. It's all ... " He gestured towards his head with his free hand. "Jumbled up in my head, but I **know**." A smile slowly spread across his face, warm and open and ... Alex wasn't sure if he was reading it right, and he hoped he was almost as much as he hoped he wasn't.

"I love you, Alex," Wes said quietly. "And I am very, **very** proud, to call you my son."

It took several moments of blinking before Alex was sure he wouldn't cry. "That's cheating," he muttered, but he wasn't sure why.

Wes smiled a little. "It's cheating to tell you something you always wanted to hear? Especially when we **both** know I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it?"

Alex shook his head and looked away, swallowing hard. He opened his mouth to remind Wes that he wasn't his son again, not in the way Wes wanted him to be for some strange reason, but instead he heard himself say "Even with Ben?"

Wes' eyes widened, and the color drained from his face again. "Ben ... Ben was .... No. No, he ... he **can't** be - " He swayed dangerously on his feet.

"Sit down," Alex ordered, grabbing his arm before Wes fell and helping him to sit on the porch steps. "Deep breaths."

Wes put his head between his knees. "I have two boys ... and one of them's ... " he trailed off, making a strange wheezing noise.

It hurt to hear, but Alex forced himself to push his feelings aside. "Wes, **breathe**," he ordered.

"What's going on?" Eric demanded sharply from the doorway. "What happened?"

"Wes is hyperventilating," Alex informed him shortly, keeping his eyes on Wes as he monitored his breathing.

"I'll ... I'll be fine," Wes wheezed, his voice muffled. "I just ... oh, man .... " He coughed harshly.

"You puke on my porch and you're cleaning up the mess," Eric warned, even as he rested a hand lightly on Wes' back.

There was a soft, breathless chuckle. "I'll be all right," Wes muttered. "I'm just ... Something just hit me really hard all of a sudden."

Eric glanced up, eyeing Alex suspiciously.

Alex rolled his eyes. "It wasn't **me**," he snapped at him.

Wes laughed again, finally managing to lift his head. "Alex didn't do anything wrong, Eric," he assured him, although he still looked pale. "It's not his fault."

Eric looked at him for a moment. "You're calling in," he informed him abruptly. "Call me when they leave. I'll handle things for today. But you owe me one."

Wes grinned faintly, rolling his eyes. "Yes, Eric."

Eric frowned slightly, feeling Wes' forehead so quickly Alex wasn't sure if he'd even really seen him do it. "Take it easy," he warned. "I don't want to have to tell your dad I'm taking you to the hospital again."

"That was **one** time!"

"I mean it, Wes."

Wes huffed, rolling his eyes again. "Fine, Eric. I promise I'll take it easy, and I'll let you know when the guys leave. Okay?"

Eric snorted. "I'll believe it when I see it," he dismissed, already pulling his keys from his pocket.

Wes frowned slightly. "Hey, Eric - "

"Be careful today," Alex interrupted, narrowing his eyes warningly at Wes.

Eric gave him an odd look. "Yeah, sure. You two stay out of trouble."

Now Alex was rolling his eyes as Eric headed to his SUV. Why did everyone always assume he was going to get in trouble? He wasn't **that** bad!

"Why didn't you let me tell him?" Wes demanded as the car pulled away. "He has a right to know too, Alex."

Alex shook his head. "Wes, you have to promise me you won't tell **anyone** about this."

"What?" Wes stared at him. "You've got to be kidding me! Why wouldn't I want anyone to know that you're - "

"Wes," Alex cut in, raising a hand and shaking his head again. "I don't know when the genetic material to create Ben and I was taken. All I know is that it couldn't have come from my time period. Which means that Time Force most likely stole it from you. Can you honestly tell me that Eric wouldn't try to prevent that from happening?"

Wes hesitated. "Well - "

"We **have** to be born, Wes," he insisted, staring at him intently. "If Ben and I aren't created, there won't be a Red Chrono Morpher or a Quantum Morpher. Without my morpher, there wouldn't be four more modeled after it. Which means that you'd never meet the other Rangers."

Wes frowned. "You don't know that for sure."

"Yes. I do." He shook his head again. "I appreciate what you're thinking Wes, but you **have** to allow this to happen. And the more people that know the truth about me, the less likely it is going to happen. You have to promise me that you won't tell **anyone**. Not even Eric."

But Wes was still hesitating. "Alex ... "

"Please, Wes."

There was a long silence.

"All right," Wes whispered finally, looking miserable. "I don't like it. But I promise I won't tell."

"You don't have to like it," Alex returned quietly, looking away. "Just honor it."

"I said I will, all right?" Wes ran a hand over his hair in aggitation. "I just ... " He sighed, finally looking up. "I know I can't expect you to think of me as a father figure, Alex. I'm not asking you to call me 'Dad' or anything. It's just ... I can't ... ignore this. I can't pretend I don't care about who you are. Because I do."

Alex closed his eyes. "Why?" he asked finally. "You'll probably never see me again, you realize. The only reason I'm here now is ... " he trailed off, swallowing hard.

A hand settled on his arm, and he jumped. He hadn't even heard Wes move.

"I meant what I said, Alex," Wes said softly. "What happened to Ben is **not** your fault. And if anyone had a right to blame you, it'd be me ... right?"

He didn't answer.

"It's not your fault, Alex," Wes said again, and now he was actually being hugged. "Even knowing what happened, I'm still proud of you. And I still love you."

"You shouldn't," he muttered, silently cursing as he felt a tear slide down his cheek.

Wes' chin settled on his shoulder. "I already told you you don't get to tell me how I feel about you," he reminded him. "And I already know how much you blame yourself for your brother - I was there, remember?"

Alex sighed. "Have you always been this touchy?" he muttered.

Wes shrugged slightly. "Only with people I care about."

He rolled his eyes. "You can stop rubbing it in anytime."

"Nah. I don't think I will," Wes teased, and he could hear the grin in his voice. " ... Hey, Alex?" he asked after a pause.

"Yes?" he asked suspiciously.

"Would you do me one favor? I promise it's nothing big, and it won't compromise your secret. If anything, it'll help me keep it."

He turned, eyeing Wes warily. "What is it?"


	24. Goodbye

Wes and Alex bonding is starting to be fun. When did that happen? o.O

Chapter 24:Goodbye

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Alex muttered, staring at the object in his hands.

"Come on, it's not that big a deal," Wes argued cheerfully, smiling at his own photo strip. "Everybody who's seen us today thought we were brothers anyway."

"That's because they don't know you," Alex reminded him with a sigh. "Anyone who **does** know you and sees that is going to ask questions."

Wes threw an arm around his shoulders. "Alex, relax. I'm not going to go around showing this to the whole world, okay? It's just for me. No one else is going to know about it. So don't worry so much, okay? You'll give yourself an ulcer."

Alex rolled his eyes. "That's a myth. And the disease rate of the thirtieth century is almost non-existent."

"Humor me."

He resisted the urge to inform him that's what he **was** doing. Instead he shook his head, slipping the photo strip into the pocket of his newest pair of borrowed jeans. "I need to contact Jen and find out how close we are to being prepared to leave."

Wes frowned, and his arm dropped. "Right," he muttered.

Alex glanced at him, reaching for his morpher. "Alex to - "

"What are you doing?" Wes hissed, grabbing his arm. "You can't just turn on your morpher anywhere you like!"

He stared back blankly. "Why not?"

Wes sighed, shaking his head. "Because people don't know who the Power Rangers are around here besides me and Eric. And if they see you using a morpher, then they'll **really** start to ask questions. Now come on, there's a place over there where we should be safe."

_The twenty-first century was __**weird**_, Alex thought with a sigh of his own as he let Wes drag him along.

He waited until Wes had them practically hiding between the wall of the shopping mall they'd just exited and a wall of hedges before raising his eyebrows. "Now?" he asked, forcing himself to sound polite.

Wes rolled his eyes. "Stop channeling Eric. Yes, now you can."

"Alex to Jen," he told his morpher, pointedly ignoring yet another comparison to Eric.

"_This is Jen. Alex, where are you?!_" Her holographic image looked positively furious.

He frowned, worried at her tone. "With Wes. Is everything all right?"

"_Which part of 'don't leave Eric's house until we come to get you' did you forget?_"

Wes leaned in over his shoulder. "It was my fault, Jen. I'm the one who dragged him out."

"_Don't think you're off the hook either, Wes_," she warned. _"Eric told me you weren't feeling well and that you were supposed to be resting. Where are you two?_"

"On our way to meet up with you," Alex answered smoothly. "How's our progress?"

She hesitated. "We're ready to leave any time," she admitted reluctantly. "The reports are finished, Trip's gone over every inch of the datapad, and we're ready to - " She paused. "We're ready."

Alex nodded. "We'll meet you at the time ship. Alex out."

There was a look on Wes' face he couldn't interpret, but Wes wouldn't meet his eyes for some reason. He reached for his own Chrono Morpher. "Eric, this is Wes. We're meeting at the time ship now."

"This is Eric. I'll see you there."

Wes looked up, and the smile on his face was obviously forced. "Well, let's get going."

Alex frowned. "Wes - "

"Jen hates it when people are late," Wes continued as if he hadn't spoken, pulling out the keys to his bike. He walked off without another word.

Alex sighed irritably and followed.

* * *

They were hesitating, and they all knew it.

Alex had checked and double-checked the equipment that the others had gone over multiple times already. Their evidence to confront Time Force was already prepared and ready to be taken directly to the Newtech City Police Department. Nadira and Ransik waited patiently inside the ship for the Rangers to say their goodbyes privately. All they had to do was say it, and leave.

But no one was moving.

Finally, Wes swallowed and tried to smile. "I really don't know what to say. Last time I thought it was goodbye forever, but this time ... I don't think it is."

Jen frowned, looking worried. "Wes, we can't - "

He shook his head. "I'm not saying I'm expecting any of you to just pop in once in awhile. It's just ... " He shrugged. "It doesn't feel like this is the end. I think we'll see each other again some day."

"The odds of any of us meeting in the first place were astronomical," Trip pointed out tentatively, looking distinctly hopeful.

Katie started to smile. "We make our own destinies, right?"

"Exactly!" Wes agreed, smiling back brightly at them both. "So this isn't goodbye. Just ... goodbye for now. See you later, more like."

"See you," Eric muttered, shaking his head. He looked amused. "Only you, Wes."

Katie moved to throw her arms around Wes. "See you later, Wes," she told him, pausing to stick her tongue out at Eric.

Wes laughed, and suddenly Trip and Lucas were both moving in to exchange their own goodbyes with him. Alex remained slightly behind and to the side, feeling awkward. He'd never been good at goodbyes, namely because he'd never taken the time to know very many people enough to miss them. And the ones he did know tended to end up leaving him.

The sound of someone's throat clearing startled him, and he looked up as Eric offered a hand. "Thanks for the game."

The corner of Alex' mouth twitched, and he reached out to accept the handshake. "Same to you."

They nodded to one another, and Eric moved back without another word. It wasn't much, but somehow Alex still found himself feeling more relaxed. Eric may not have known, but he was a good man, and Alex would miss him. Time Force had never given him enough credit.

Wes was waiting for him when Eric moved aside. He smile was gone now, and he watched Alex with an expression that was almost longing. Alex stepped forward with a quiet sigh, and found himself pulled into a hug so tight Katie would have approved.

"Don't forget what I said, Alex," Wes said in his ear. "I love you, and I'm proud of you."

He swallowed. "Don't forget your promise."

There was a moment of silence, and Wes squeezed him tighter. "I promise, Alex," he whispered, sounding pained.

Then he released him, and Alex found himself struggling for words as he stepped away. "I don't hate you," he said abruptly.

Wes shook his head with a faint smile, tears shining in his eyes. "Yes, you do," he corrected. "But that's okay. I understand why now."

Now Alex was the one shaking his head. "No, I - I mean, I do. I hate you, but I ... " He swallowed, and found himself blinking back tears of his own. He wasn't sure if it was from frustration at being unable to express himself, or something else. "I also ... "

"I love you too, Alex," Wes interrupted gently. His smile was warm.

Thoroughly uncomfortable now, Alex swallowed again and gave a sharp nod.

"Alex ... ?" Jen ventured hesitantly.

He looked at her and felt himself smile at her concern. "It's all right, Jen," he assured her.

"Hey, Alex?"

He glanced back at Wes. "Yes?"

Wes gave him a grin. "Say yes."

He blinked. "What?"

"Tell her yes," he repeated.

Alex flushed slightly, hoping Wes wasn't insinuating what he thought he was. "I - "

"And take care of them for me," Wes added, giving him a look he couldn't read.

"Always," he said immediately, wondering why Wes would even bother to ask. He turned and headed for the ship.

"Hey, Alex!"

He turned back again with a sigh. "What is it?"

A strange expression had come over Wes' face. "You should listen to your brother. Have faith; it'll be okay."

He stared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded. Ben had always had an uncanny ability to know when something bad was going to happen. And from the scattered memories he had now, he knew that Wes had it, too. If they both believed that everything would work out, then he had no choice but to trust them.

He began the start up sequence as Jen remained outside, saying her final goodbyes. For the first time, he felt no jealousy at the sight of Jen and Wes embracing tightly just outside the window, followed by her startled expression by something he said to her. He knew better now. He **knew** Jen loved him, and he knew that while she and Wes loved each other, and **could** have had a relationship together if time had allowed it, she had chosen Alex instead.

And Wes, he knew now, had chosen someone else himself.

He shook his head as he entered the command code to link his smaller time ship with the bigger one they were using to return home. Wes Collins and Eric Myers were on the verge of becoming a couple. Time Force would **never** believe it.

"Hey ... Alex?" Trip asked hesitantly, coming to lean over the back of his seat.

He glanced up. "What is it, Trip?"

Trip bit his lip. "Are ... are you and Wes okay now? You seem ... different."

He was silent for a moment. There was nothing to prevent him from telling them what he'd asked of Wes, but he knew they wouldn't like it, and most likely wouldn't agree. He wasn't sure if he could even explain what had happened between the two Red Chrono Morphers. He wasn't sure if he wanted to, either; it was something between him and Wes.

"We understand each other," he said finally.

"Did something happen?" Katie asked, looking concerned. "I mean, are you all right?"

He chuckled quietly. "Yeah, Katie. I'm fine. I'm ... " He paused, searching for the right word. "I'm at peace."

A hand squeezed his shoulder as Jen slipped into her seat. "Good," she said softly, and her expression hardened. "Now let's go home and take down Time Force once and for all."


	25. Rebellion

The only thing I like about this chapter is making fun of Alex, and the chance to use the phase _coup d'état. _(How I love you, Gundam Wing.)

Chapter 25:Rebellion

The atmosphere was grim by the time the two time ships emerged over Newtech City as Alex surveyed the equipment to make sure they'd arrived in 3002. They had a plan, but it was hard to be sure that it would work. There was Ransik to consider, too: his safety was now their highest priority. He could **not** go back to Time Force.

They needed to land at Time Force long enough to ditch the time ships and get to the police department as fast as they could. At that point, they would have Jen's father put Ransik and Nadira in protective custody, and file charges with the NCPD against Time Force for crimes against humanity. From there - depending on how things went with NCPD - they would be bringing in the long list of names they'd gathered from Ben's datapad list.

Alex reluctantly reached for the com switch to check in with Time Force. He hesitated, then forced himself to hit it before anyone could ask. "Time Force Landing Dock, this is Time Ship 2335 requesting landing clearance."

He waited, and frowned. "Landing Dock, this is Time Ship 2335."

Silence.

He glanced back and found everyone watching him worriedly. "Comms must be down," he said calmly, despite the fact that his heart was beginning to pound.

Jen nodded. "Can you land without clearance?"

He gave her a dirty look. "I can land **anything**."

She snorted, fighting a smile. "I'll try to remember that."

Landing without confirmation was more difficult than he wanted to admit. There seemed to be a great deal of rubble on the landing strip, and more than one abandoned time ship. The commentary behind him wasn't helping, either.

"What do you think happened? Why isn't anyone answering?"

"I don't know, but I don't like it."

"Whatever it is, it can't be good. Trip, are you getting anything?"

"Sorry, Jen. It's ... it's like there's no one even here."

"Do you mind?" Alex snapped finally, turning to glare at them. "I'm trying to concentrate here!"

"Alex, look out!" Katie shouted.

He jerked back around just in time to veer sharply to the left. The person he'd nearly hit fell to the ground. His distraction cost him; the Time Ship landed abruptly, skidding along the pavement.

The second ship slammed into the ground behind them and bounced, hitting the back of the ship they were in. Alex cursed as everyone behind him screamed, struggling to cut the slide before they ran out of room. Thinking fast, he killed the power and slammed on the all-stop. The ship slid a few more feet before at last shuddering to a halt.

"Land anything, huh?" Lucas wheezed after several moments of silence.

"Shut up," Alex growled.

* * *

"Are you all right, Sir?" Katie asked as she pulled the man to his feet. "I'm so sorry, our pilot's skills need work - "

Alex glared at her.

"Fine, fine, just startled," the man muttered, despite the fact that he was actually shaking. "I ... I need to - " Then he looked up and froze, his eyes widening as he looked around at each them. "You - you're the Time Force Rangers! Oh, thank god!" he burst out.

They exchanged looks.

"You have to stop them," he babbled on. "That - that Quantum Ranger and those rebels. They've started some sort of revolt and they're - "

"What?" Lucas demanded sharply as Alex paled. "Did you say the **Quantum** Ranger?"

The man nodded enthusiastically. "He's crazy!" he insisted. "He's trying to make some sort of ... _coup d'état_. But you're Time Force, aren't you? **You** can stop him!"

"That's not possible," Alex interrupted, barely aware of what he was saying. "The Quantum Ranger is gone. I was **there**. I **saw** it happen."

The man shook his head. "No, no it's him!" he insisted again. "He looks like some sort of evil version of the Red Ranger, right?"

Alex growled softly. Lucas and Trip grabbed his arms before he could move forward.

"Freeze!" a new voice shouted.

All five of them turned, reaching for their blasters as Katie instinctively pushed the trembling man behind her. Further down the landing strip stood a girl who couldn't have been much older than Trip, her own blaster level as she stared coolly. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"The Time Force Rangers," Jen returned, narrowing her eyes. "Who are **you**?"

The girl looked suspicious now. "Cadet Salinas. Who do you serve?"

Katie started. "What?"

"Who do you serve?" she repeated.

Jen stared at her for a long moment. "We serve Newtech City," she said at last.

Cadet Salinas smiled, lowering her blaster. "Sorry ma'am, but it's hard to be sure who's on which side right now," she said apologetically.

"What's going on?" Trip asked worriedly.

Salinas looked startled. "You mean you don't know? I thought you were with the Quantum Ranger."

"We are," Alex interrupted before anyone else could correct her. "But we've been on a mission. What's the situation?"

She smiled grimly. "We're taking down the old Time Force, for good."

The man behind Katie shivered. "You don't know what you're doing!" he shouted at her, still cowering at Katie's back. "This city would fall apart without Time Force! We keep it alive!"

"Tell that to the people you've hurt," Salinas snarled at him, her eyes darkening. "We don't need a Time Force that treats us like cattle!"

"That's not - "

"That's enough," Jen cut in firmly. "Why are you trying to arrest this man, cadet?"

Salinas seemed surprised by the question. "He's on the list wanted for questioning, possible warrant, ma'am." She eyed the man as he glared at her from behind them.

Jen nodded. "Katie, cuff him."

The man started, backing away as Katie turned toward him now. "What? But ... but you're the Time Force Rangers! You're supposed to be **Time Force**! What are you doing?!"

"That's where you're wrong," Katie told him with an unpleasant smile as she caught his arm, twisting it up behind him. "We're the **Power** Rangers." There was a sharp click as she snapped the handcuffs in place.

"Where's this list?" Lucas asked Salinas, frowning.

She removed a datapad from her pocket, offering it to him. "There's the higher ups, the warrants, and general questioning," she explained. "We've got groups assigned to each type to make sure everyone's brought in."

"This seems awfully organized," Trip commented, looking worried.

Salinas gave him a grin. "Captain Logan's been recruiting for months now, Sir. When he and the Quantum Ranger made their move, we were ready."

Alex clenched his fists anxiously. "Where is the Quantum Ranger?"

"He was sent after Commander Blakemore," she told him. "He insisted. Someone said he was supposed to be a high security risk. Last I heard he was somewhere on the upper levels."

He didn't even realize he was moving until Jen called his name. He paused just long enough to glance back at her.

She stared back, her eyes worried. "Be careful."

He nodded once, and ran.


	26. Confronted

This chapter was *incredibly* hard to write, for many reasons. I hope I did this scene the justice it deserved.

Chapter 26:Confronted

He keyed the trace on his morpher as he ran. His eyes moved swiftly over the map it brought up, placing the four other Chrono Morphers' locations before at last finding the Quantum Morpher. Blakemore's office. Either the commander was really **stupid**, or really arrogant.

Knowing Blakemore as well as he did, he was willing to bet on arrogant.

The sound of his own breathing was harsh as he raced up the stairs. Dozens of thoughts circled through his head. Ben was alive? Time Force was being brought in. They were **finally** being brought to justice. Ben **couldn't** be alive ... could he? Was someone else using the Quantum Morpher now? Blakemore. He'd **finally** be able to put him behind bars for good. They had the evidence to put him away. All these years, and finally, **finally** ...

What he do when Time Force was gone? He'd never really thought about it before. He couldn't give away his morpher, but he didn't **have** to work for Time Force. He could leave. Do ... do something. Maybe travel. He'd have to ask the others what they thought.

He was going to have to testify.

The thought nearly stopped him, but he forced himself to stumble forward. He'd already known that. He'd known for years now that if he really wanted to bring down Time Force, bring down Bakemore and all of his associates, the scientists, **everyone**, he was going to have to stand up in front of the holojudges and tell them who he was, how he was created. He'd have to tell them everything.

**No one** knew everything. Not even the Rangers. Not even Trip or Ben.

Wes knew.

Wes had seen ... had been there. It was still strange to try and sort through the jumbled mess of memories he'd been left with, only some of which were his own, and his head tended to hurt when he tried. He had - **Wes** had a mother? She was in a care center, because she was mentally handicapped. Wes had always resented it, resented **her** for the longest time ...

He frowned as another memory filtered through. Wes had gone to **medical school**? He was trying to be a doctor?

No ... That was Dad's - Mr. Collin's dream. He'd wanted Wes to become a doctor so he could help his mother. But he - Wes - wasn't focused enough to become a doctor. He could read books and study all he wanted, but he couldn't push his feelings aside to deal with his patients. He was too much of a bleeding heart.

Eric had called him that, back when they were still barely friends.

Wes knew, even if the details were probably as fuzzy as his own about Wes' childhood. Something about loneliness, and longing, and always been pushed away. About never being good enough. The feelings behind his own memories and Wes' memories were so similar it was hard to tell which was which. They were more alike than he'd ever known.

And Wes had understood. He didn't judge, didn't cringe away or stare at Alex with pity in his eyes. He just accepted it.

But that was Wes. Not everyone else would be so understanding. Especially not a room full of people watching his every move, trying to interpret his every word. Not a room full of people that saw their Red Ranger as a hero, not a victim.

He shook his head harshly, grabbing the railing as he swung around to another staircase. There was no use worrying about a trial now. Now he needed to find Blakemore, and Ben. He needed to bring that ... he needed to bring Blakemore in. To make him pay for everything he'd done.

It was finally time.

He yanked the door open for the level he needed, barely aware of the way he panted for breath now as he raced toward the grand office at the end of the hall. He was finally here. It was time.

He grabbed the office door and yanked it open.

* * *

"Alexander," Blakemore greeted pleasantly, turning from the window to offer him a smile.

Alex stared at him.

Blakemore was dressed in one of his usual suits, his hair perfectly slicked back and not looking even remotely worried. If anything, he seemed ... pleased. If it wasn't for the fact that Ben was sitting in the chair across from his desk, Alex wouldn't have thought he even knew what was happening.

His eyes flicked to his brother. Ben sat up straight in the comfy office chair, turned toward Blakemore attentively. He showed no signs of their fight; if anything, he seemed healthier than before. For a moment, Alex was confused.

"So good of you to join us," Blakemore went on. He gestured to the empty chair next to Ben. "Have a seat, won't you?"

"I'll stand," Alex said flatly.

Blakemore chuckled softly. "Contrary as always, aren't you Alexander? We'll have to work on that."

His fists clenched. "We're not working on anything. You're under arrest."

Blakemore laughed.

It was then that he noticed the way Ben's hands clenched on the arms of the chair. His breathing was fast, eyes wide and frightened. They remained on Alex even as he faced forward, silently pleading.

"Your sense of humor, as always, leaves something to be desired, Alexander," Blakemore mused, reaching for the glass of what looked like wine sitting on the edge of his desk.

"What did you do to him?" he demanded softly, moving closer to his brother.

"Hmm? Oh, Benjamin. We had a disagreement about the way things were handled. This is really far messier than I had planned, so I'm afraid I had to punish him."

"Planned?" Alex echoed, a cold feeling developing in his stomach.

Blakemore shot him an amused look. "You didn't really think I didn't know about this little rebellion, did you?" He laughed, gesturing wide with his glass. "All of this is my doing. I allowed this to happen. Benjamin has been my tool all along."

He almost believed him.

He might have, if the sound of Ben's frantic breathing hadn't reached his ears. His brother had paled, his eyes desperate as he made a soft whimpering sound. His teeth clenched, and he struggled to speak.

Alex put a hand on his wrist, squeezing gently even as he kept his eyes on Blakemore. "You **planned** to have Time Force investigated?" He couldn't keep the skepticism from his voice.

Blakemore laughed again, this time open and amused. "Of course I did!" He shook his head, grinning in a way that sent shivers down Alex's spine. "What better way to regain control? Let the police come in and take out the 'old' Time Force, clean things up a bit. Take out the board of directors, the old staff, everyone involved in the old projects. Let the public think that we're 'new and improved'. And then ... " He shook his finger at Alex. "That's when we start recruiting again. Remind people what Time Force is **really** about."

"And what's that?" Alex asked, his voice like ice.

"Progress," Blakemore returned promptly. "Creating the world the way **we** want it. Time Force has shaped the public's opinion on the past and present. We've created their idea of right and wrong. Time Force is what keeps this planet in check."

He stared at him. "You honestly believe that? You - you're **torturing** people, hiding information about our history, and you think it's **right**?!"

Blakemore scoffed. "Torturing? Is that what you think it is we do? We're **curing** people, Alexander. Sure, there's going to be some suffering along the way - that's just part of the scientific process. But by working to eliminate mutated genes, we're protecting people, protecting their futures. And who cares about a bunch of criminals anyway? Better them than some poor, honest citizen, right?"

His fists clenched. "And me? Ben, and Trip?"

Blakemore glanced at him curiously. "Isn't it obvious? You and Benjamin were necessary for maintaining the timeline. History has documented the existence of the Time Force and Quantum Rangers. We needed you to ensure that happened. As for the Xybrian, he **is** one of the last of his kind. How else were we supposed to learn about his species?"

He was shaking now, but he couldn't seem to stop. "Why have you been hiding information about the past, then? Like the Time Force and Wild Force Rangers meeting?"

Surprisingly, Blakemore seemed pleased by the question. "Well, we couldn't just **tell** you everything, now could we? You have to work for things. Like that thing ... " He waved a hand. "The death of the Red Time Force Ranger. You needed false information to figure out the best way to handle the situation."

He stared. "You mean you lied about Wes' death?"

Blakemore shrugged. "Well, he's going to die someday, isn't he?"

His hands hurt from clenching them so tightly. Beside him, he heard Ben whimper faintly again. "What did you do to my brother?" he asked lowly.

Blakemore shrugged lightly. "Just a minor adjustment we placed in his morpher before he was revived. Produces an electric current when Benjamin needs ... reminding, of where his loyalties lie."

Blood pounded in his ears, drowning out everything but the sound of his own breathing. The world seemed to blur for a moment before refocusing with a strange red tint. He didn't remember moving. All he knew was that his hand was around Blakemore's throat, and Blakemore was leaning out what had once been a window.

Blakemore laughed at him, despite the fact that his face was pale and something red was sticking to his hair. "Come now, Alexander. Aren't you a little old for temper tantrums?" he wheezed.

"You hurt my brother," he hissed, his fist clenching as he pushed Blakemore further out the window. "You hurt my friends. You made me hate the man that I should admire most in the world. You made me feel **worthless** my entire life!"

"I made you strong," Blakemore forced out. One of his hands came up to grip Alex's as he managed a smile. "You, are the ultimate Ranger, Alexander. You exist to protect. That ... is all you've ever needed."

"How would you know what I've needed?" he snarled back. "All you've **ever** cared about is how much I can do for you! How hard I can fight! I'm just your replacement for Wesley Collins, remember?!"

Blakemore made an odd choking noise as his hand clenched tighter.

"You don't care about people! You care about results!" he raged. "People are **suffering** for your 'cures', and you don't care as long as you can 'fix' them from being what they are! As long you can make them into what you want, you don't care about how much they get hurt! How much **pain** they go through!"

The corner of Blakemore's mouth twitched faintly. "You ... are everything ... I raised you to be ... Alexander .... " he whispered, his grip on Alex's hand slipping. "The perfect ... son .... "

"You are **not** my father!" Alex screamed.

He heard something shatter, felt Blakemore turn into a dead weight in his hand. There was cold air on his face, and a roaring sound in his ears. The world went white.

The next thing he was aware of was a pair of thin, warm arms around him.

"Alex?" a voice whispered in his ear. "Alex, stop. Put him down. Just bring him back inside, and put him down. This isn't the way to fix things, Alex. You **know** that."

"He ... " he gasped out, trying to find the words to say what he was feeling. His chest felt like it was on fire. "He - "

"I know," the voice soothed, and a hand stroked his cheek, brushing away tears he hadn't even known were there. "I know. He deserves to suffer for what he's done. And he **will**. But not like this. Not like this."

He sobbed. "I can't ... I can't .... "

"Yes, you can," the voice insisted gently. "I know you can. This isn't you, Alex. This is what he's done to you."

"I ... " he wavered. "I'm ... "

"Put him down, Alex. Please? Just put him down."

Hands closed around his, pulling gently, dragging his arm back inside and Blakemore along with it. Blakemore had lost consciousness, he noted dimly. Was that blood on the back of his head?

Another hand reached up to cup his cheek, gently pulling his face around to stare into warm, loving brown eyes.

"Jen," he choked out.

He collapsed into her arms.


	27. Home

I adore Ben. Possibly too much. But he and Alex are my tortured little boys, and I wanted them to have somewhat of a happy ending. Even if this isn't actually anywhere **near** the end of this.

Xybrian: _Lias - _Brother

_Layos - _Sister

Chapter 27:Home

He couldn't have said how much time passed. All he knew was that Jen was there, that she was holding on to him as if the world had ended, and he was clinging to her like she was the last lifeline he had left. His head stayed buried against her shoulder as she stroked his hair gently. He thought she'd started humming at some point, but he couldn't have said when or what it was.

Eventually he was aware that there were others around them, and distantly considered raising his head to see who it was. But it seemed like too much effort for now, so he remained where he was.

At last he let out a long sigh, turning his face against Jen's neck.

The hand in his hair paused. "Alex?" she asked softly.

He mumbled what he hoped sounded like an acknowledgement.

Lips pressed gently against his temple. "Talk to me," Jen requested.

He shrugged a shoulder.

There was a soft sigh, and a faint chuckle. "Say anything. Just let me know you're still alive."

"M' alive," he rasped.

"Do you need a doctor?" It took him a moment to recognize that the soft, concerned voice was Katie's. "Should we get someone?"

He shook his head.

"He probably needs a doctor," he heard Lucas murmur, but he had the impression it wasn't him he was referring to.

His head snapped up instantly, eyes wide. "Ben!"

"Easy," Jen soothed, reaching up to catch his shoulders. "He's right here, Alex. He's just resting."

He turned, panicked, to find his brother stretched out on the ground with Lucas and Trip watching over him. "Is he ... is he ... ?" His voice trembled.

"M' in **pain**, not unconscious," Ben groused, cracking open an eye to glare over at him. "And you look awful, A."

A choked laugh escaped him before he could stop it. "Not as bad as you," he managed weakly, trying to smile.

Ben snorted. "Doubt it," he muttered.

"You **both** look awful," Katie humphed, shooting a glare at Alex. "Didn't Jen tell you to be careful?"

He shrugged a little. "Don't remember."

He felt Jen roll her eyes. "I did," she confirmed. "And we're going to have a long talk about what that means later."

He smiled a little, closing his eyes. "I look forward to it."

She snorted. "I'm sure you do."

There was something he was forgetting, wasn't there? He tried to think, but it hurt.

Oh. Right.

"You ... ?" He tried to rouse himself a little.

"We're fine," Jen assured him, stroking his cheek again.

"How do you do that?" Lucas asked, sounding bewildered.

"It's a girlfriend thing."

There was something wrong about that statement, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Later, he decided. He could figure everything out later.

* * *

The next thing he was aware of was the bright, rainbow-colored ceiling of the medical lab.

He vaguely remembered that it had been white once. But Katie had complained that anybody waking up in a patient bed wasn't going to want to stare at a white ceiling, and had all but demanded they paint it. Trip had been immediately on board with the idea, while Jen and Lucas had reluctantly agreed. Alex still wondered if she'd only wanted it painted for his sake, now that they knew about his past.

Either way, the actual painting had been somewhat of an adventure. For some bizarre reason, Katie and Trip had decided it should be colored after the five of them. The four walls had each been painted in a solid, bold shade of pink, blue, yellow, and green. The floor alternated between bright and darker red tiles, and Alex had half-heartedly complained about being the one who's color got walked on.

The ceiling was the best part of the room though, even if he'd never admit it. For the ceiling, they'd painted a giant rainbow from all five colors - six if you counted the darker shade of red. It had taken longer than he liked to admit for him to realize what the second shade signified.

"Alex?" a voice called tentatively as he contemplated the ceiling.

He turned just enough to see Circuit on the table beside him, watching him anxiously. "Rangers!" the little owl burst out, flapping his wings in excitement. "Rangers, he's awake!"

"And now so is half of Newtech City," grumbled another voice.

He was surrounded before he could find the speaker, all four Rangers peering down at him anxiously.

"How are you feeling?" Trip asked worriedly.

"Do you need anything?" Katie put in.

Alex blinked at them for a moment. " ... Sit up?" he croaked finally. His throat felt dry.

Lucas was the one to find the remote for the bed, slowly raising him up to meet their faces and offering the cup of water that had been resting near Circuit. "Better?" he asked after a moment. He eyed Trip and Katie. "You two want to give him some air?" he added dryly.

They both inched back, looking sheepish.

Jen chuckled softly, moving to sit on the side of the bed. Her hand reached out to brush Alex's hair from his eyes. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

"Do I have to answer that?" he groaned, reaching up to rub his head. "What happened?"

"You fainted," Trip told him.

He paused with one hand on his forehead, raising his eyebrows.

Jen tried to hide a smile. "You passed out," she clarified. "You've been under so much stress recently that it finally took its toll. You've been unconscious for awhile now."

He frowned. "Blakemore?"

"In custody." There was fierce pride to her voice at the words.

He looked over the four of them automatically, frowning again as he noticed the sling Trip wore. "What happened to you?" he demanded.

"He caught someone while they were trying to run," Lucas explained as Trip looked down in embarrassment. He slipped an arm around the other man's shoulders, squeezing carefully. "The guy tried to shoot him to get away, but Trip didn't stop." He frowned down at him.

Trip looked sheepish now. "I couldn't let him get away," he protested meekly.

Alex stared for a moment at Lucas' arm around Trip, at the way Trip leaned into Lucas' side. Lucas was frowning at him, but it was more concerned, almost fond, than anything else. And ... was Trip blushing?

"There's supposed to be a speech," Alex muttered, more to himself than anyone. He looked up at Lucas with a glare, pointing at him. "He cries ... I hurt you," he growled warningly.

Katie snorted. "Great speech there, _Lias_."

He gave her a look. "My head still hurts, _Layos_," he retorted irritably.

Trip somehow managed to look mortified and delighted at the same time.

"You want an aspray?" Jen offered, looking concerned.

"I'll live," he told her with a sigh. He didn't want to admit it, but he still didn't like taking any form of drug - even something as simple as a pain reliever.

Something just over her shoulder caught his attention, and he turned to look. Ben was stretched out on a bed on the other side of the room, one hand on his chest as he stared up at the ceiling. His eyes were open, but he was pointedly not looking at them.

Alex frowned. "Ben?" he called.

His brother shifted just enough to glance at him briefly. "A," he greeted.

Alex tried to push himself up a little higher to get a better look at him. "How are you feeling?" he asked worriedly.

Ben shrugged a shoulder.

"He's on bed rest for now, and hating every minute of it," Jen informed him, looking amused. "His heart was strained from the electric shock, but it's been taken care of. He'll be fine in a few days."

Ben sighed. "I'm right here, you know," he informed the ceiling. "And I don't **have** to stay here. If you'd actually let me leave, I'd already be out of your hair."

Alex frowned.

"Why would we want you to leave?" Trip wondered, sounding bewildered.

**That** caught Ben's attention. He rolled over to look at them, frowning in confusion. "Why would you want me to stay?" he demanded.

Alex opened his mouth to say something, but Jen caught his arm, shaking her head silently with a warning look.

Before he could protest, Katie walked over to Ben, frowning at him. "Why would we want you to leave?" she countered, echoing Trip.

Ben looked startled. "But ... after ... after everything I - "

Katie reached around for the control to lift his bed, raising it until they were nearly eye-to-eye. She offered him a warm smile. "I already learned my lesson about not trusting people when I should have, Ben. I'm not going to make that mistake again." She held out a hand.

Ben stared at it for a moment before his eyes darted back up to her. For once, his expression showed just how young he really was. "But ... I don't ... I don't understand."

"It's a hand. You shake it," Katie teased him gently. Her expression softened. "You're a Power Ranger too, aren't you? That means you're our teammate."

He blinked, looking back at her hand again. Slowly, carefully, he reached out to shake it. "I ... guess so," he admitted, peeking up at her shyly.

Katie stared at him. "And I thought Alex looked like Wes," she murmured, and Alex barely caught it.

Ben frowned, then oomphed in surprise as Katie abruptly hugged him. He flushed. "L-Lieutenant Walker?" he stammered.

Katie pulled away to scowl at him, swatting his shoulder. "Do **not** call me that," she warned. "It's Katie. Got that?"

Ben nodded, wide-eyed. "Yes, ma'am."

She scowled, but Lucas was already moving around her to offer a hand. "Lucas," he stated, giving a faint smirk.

"Ben," he returned warily, still seeming somewhat lost.

Trip moved forward then, giving Ben a shy smile. "I, um ... I know ... it's gotta be really weird, with everything that's been going on," he began hesitantly. "And I don't want you to think I'm trying to steal Alex from you or anything!" he added hastily. "It's just ... " He faltered, gulped, and looked up hopefully. "I was ... hoping maybe we could be friends?"

Ben stared at him. " ... How do you **do** that?" he demanded.

Trip blinked. "Do what?"

"Your face." Ben pointed at him. "I don't even like you, and I want to hug you. Stop it."

Everyone, even Alex, burst out laughing as Trip looked confused and Ben scandalized.

Jen squeezed Alex's hand gently before moving to stand. She approached Ben with a warm smile. "It's nice to finally meet you, Ben," she greeted. "Alex talks about you all the time."

"He does?" Ben looked startled.

She nodded, still smiling. And before Ben even realized what she was doing, she leaned forward and gave him a hug. "Welcome home, Ben."

Alex smiled.

Ben blinked when Jen pulled back. He looked at each of them for several moments before at last turning to stare at his brother. "They don't give you much of a choice, do they?" he asked.

Alex laughed, giving him a grin. "No. They don't."

Ben considered this for a moment before at last looking at Jen. "So ... when are you and my brother getting married?" he asked brightly, blinking up at her innocently.


	28. Finding Freedom

It looks like things are finally coming together and wrapping up for Alex.

... Yeah, right. This story is **so** far from over.

Chapter 28:Finding Freedom

He looked over Newtech City with a soft sigh, dozens of thoughts whirling though his head. Eventually his gaze fell to his sleeve, and he sighed again as he played with it. It felt strange to be wearing a uniform again. Confining.

"Alex?"

He glanced back, offering a wan smile. "Jen," he greeted.

She moved to stand beside him, leaning against the railing. "Talk to me?"

His smile widened a little. It seemed like she was always asking that these days. "It doesn't feel like it's over," he admitted softly. "I know it really isn't, because there's still all the legal work and trials, but ... it doesn't feel real."

Her hand slipped through his arm, squeezing gently. "But it is. We did it, Alex. The old Time Force is gone. And now we can build a new Time Force, one that's honest and good," she insisted.

He swallowed. "I don't know if I want to be part of that Time Force, Jen."

He felt her looking at him, but he couldn't meet her eyes. "I mean ... I'm not saying I don't want to be a Ranger anymore." He looked down at the morpher on his wrist, touching it absently. "I couldn't give that up even if I wanted to, and for the first time in my life ... I don't."

He paused for a moment to marvel at that statement. For the first time in his life, he **liked** being a Power Ranger. Was proud of it, even. It was a bizarre feeling.

He wondered what Wes would have thought of that.

"But ... ?" Jen prodded gently.

He sighed, looking out over the city again. "But I've never had a chance to be anything **but** Time Force. And now ... " He shrugged a little. "I finally have the chance to be something else. To do something with my life that **I** want to do."

There was a long silence as he wondered what she would say. Would she be hurt, angry that he wanted to leave? All the work they'd put in to bring down Time Force, and now he couldn't stand the thought of being part of it anymore. Would she hate him for that?

Her hand squeezed his arm, and she laid her head against his shoulder. "Alex, I'll **always** support you," she murmured. "Whether you stay with Time Force or not, I'll be right behind you." She hesitated. "Would ... would you hate me if I said I wanted to stay?"

He turned to look at her at last, a warm smile lighting up his face that he couldn't stop. "Jen, you're the **first** person I want behind the new Time Force," he told her.

She beamed at him.

It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to kiss her then, and he did it without hesitation. She turned, moving to wrap her arms around his neck. He pulled her close and silently gave thanks that **this**, at least, could be saved.

She leaned against him when they separated at last, and they held on to one another. "So what do you want to do?" she murmured eventually.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I've never had the chance to think about what **I** want before. At first I thought about traveling but now ... " He hesitated. "I think, more than anything, I want the chance to be normal. I've never had that."

"And you deserve it more than anyone," she promised him softly, leaning forward to kiss him again.

He frowned in thought as she pulled away. "There's a lot to do still," he mused. "Ben, most of all ... It's going to be hard to register him as a legal citizen when I can barely prove how old he is. And even then, he's not really old enough to live on his own - not really."

"You're going to file for custody of him?"

He nodded despite the fact that he knew it wasn't really a question. "He won't like it, but I don't want anyone else taking responsibility for him." He hesitated. "I want ... I want him to go to school," he confessed.

Jen smiled, reaching up to touch his cheek. "I think that's a great idea," she agreed. The smile turned into a grin. "But he's going to hate you for it."

He laughed without meaning to, giving her a rueful smile. "Yeah. He will."

Her expression softened, her eyes turning serious. "I'll be there for you both, you know. No matter what you decide, I'll do anything I can to help you."

He swallowed, his heart pounding. "You mean that?"

She smiled again, reaching out to intertwine their fingers. "With all my heart," she promised. "I'm not letting you go again, Alex. Not for anything, or anyone."

"Even though - "

Her free hand pressed gently over his lips as she shook her head. "I know you, and I love you," she said softly. "That's enough for me."

His answering smile was hesitant. He reached into his pocket almost automatically, trying to keep his hand from shaking as he found what he was looking for. "Does that mean ... you'll take this back?"

Her eyes widened as she stared down at the tiny box he offered. "Alex ... " She looked stunned as her eyes finally raised to meet his. "Have you been carrying that around all this time?"

"Well, not the whole time," he muttered, feeling stupid now. "But ... for a while now. I was just ... waiting to find the right moment."

There were tears in her eyes. "You know, the last time you gave me this I almost lost you," she said finally.

He flinched at the thought. "I'm sorry."

He didn't even realize he'd been pulling back until her hands closed around his, trapping the box between them. He looked up at her in surprise and found a watery smile in return.

"We're been through a lot in the past two years." She took the box from him, opening it carefully and smiling down at the glittering ring inside. Then she turned, offering it back to him and holding out her left hand. "And I know now, there's no one else else I'd rather spend my life with."

He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. This was more nervewracking than the first time he'd asked, and back then he'd been so nervous and trying not to show it that he hadn't remembered to wait until she said yes to put the ring on her finger. Speaking of which ...

He shook himself, taking the ring and sliding it slowly onto her hand. "I love you, Jennifer," he said softly as he met her eyes.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. It startled him, but he responded without thinking.

They were both slightly breathless by the time they broke apart.

"I love you too, Alex," she whispered, leaning close. There was a pause, and she laughed softly. "Ben is going to **love** this."

* * *

-- _"Are you absolutely certain about this Alex?" Logan persisted._

_Alex nodded solemnly. "I've never been more sure about anything in my life," he said calmly._

_"I can't say I'm not disappointed," Logan confessed, flashing an almost guilty smile. "But I do understand. If there's ever anything, and I mean __**anything**__, that I can do for you, just ask."_

_Alex nodded, forcing a smile. "Thank you, Sir."_

_Logan shook his head, because they both knew that was a habit Alex would never be able to break. "Do you have any idea what you're going to do now?"_

_"Honestly?" He shrugged. "I'm just going to enjoy taking the time to think about it."_ --

He leaned against the wall of the elevator with a sigh. His resignation had gone better than he thought it would. Logan had been shocked at first, but he hadn't tried too hard to persuade him. If anything, he seemed genuinely disappointed that Alex wouldn't be staying on.

The Rangers had also been surprisingly accepting of his decision - once they'd known he wasn't giving up his morpher. It surprised him how vehement they'd been that he keep it, even if he wasn't going to stay with Time Force. After that there had been the usual questions of what he wanted to do know, and where he would live once he gave up his apartment with Time Force Housing. They hadn't pushed when he said he didn't know much of anything yet.

Trip was glad to see him happy. Lucas had advised him to take his time and think about things first. Jen offered to see if her parents would lend him and Ben a room if they needed it. Katie had suggested getting a house large enough for all six of them to share.

Ben asked when they were leaving.

The corner of his mouth quirked upwards. He had no job, no plan, a temporary place to live, and he was in the process of applying for guardianship of his twin brother who technically didn't exist anymore. And he'd never been happier.

The decision to leave Time Force had taken a great weight off his shoulders. There was still the Rangers to be concerned with, but Jen and Logan had already begun working out an agreement that put the Rangers under a separate jurisdiction from Time Force, to ensure that they would never be forced to answer to them again. He would have to deal with the investigation and trials for most of the old Time Force in the coming months, but even that wasn't something that would consistently require his presence. He was, for all intents and purposes, a free man.

His smile widened.

He almost started whistling as the door opened, keying the recognition code on his morpher. He smiled again when the computer chirped at him, and entered Ranger Tower with a bounce in his step. Katie was showing Ben around Time Force today to see the things he'd been 'protected from' under Blakemore's care, but he couldn't wait to tell the other three how well his meeting with Logan had gone.

He found Jen waiting for him, looking pale and uncertain.

His eyes flicked automatically to Lucas and Trip. Trip was working on a computer, but his gaze seemed unfocused. Lucas stood next to him, staring out a window as he rubbed Trip's shoulder absently. He'd been a bit possessive ever since Trip's injury that had finally forced him to ask the younger man out.

He looked back to Jen, who swallowed as their eyes met. "What is it?"

She bit her lip. "We just received a call ... from Wes and Eric."

He stiffened, even as he silently cried out in protest. When would it _end_? "More escaped mutants?" he demanded sharply.

She shook her head. "Actually, Eric said that he was looking to talk to you." She paused and swallowed again. "Well ... he wanted ... He said he wanted you to talk to Wes' son."

He stared at her for several minutes as he tried to process what she was saying. He couldn't seem to wrap his brain around it. "He what?"

"Eric said he wanted you to talk to Wes' son," she repeated, looking worried. "Sky Tate. Eric said he was S.P.D. Blue. And ... " She hesitated again, looking worried now. "He called him your brother."

He blinked as everything around him seemed to blur. "My ... brother?"


	29. Across Time

-Kicks Alex and Sky- This chapter did **not** want to be written. .

Love to phantom_blue and Challon86 for putting up with my whining for help writing it.

Chapter 29:Across Time

He stared at the comm screen for what seemed like hours. He should probably turn on a light at some point, but he still found he worked better in the dark. And he wasn't sure if he wanted anyone to know that he was awake, let alone what he was thinking about doing.

It had eventually made sense to him. Sort of. Wes had called him his son as soon as he knew, so of course he would consider his actual son to be Alex's brother. It was the sort of thing Wes would do.

But why did Eric know? Wes had sworn not to tell him. And ... Sky Tate? Who was Sky Tate?

The history logs showed that Wes had died young, in battle, with no mention of any children. How did he manage to have a son? And according to Trip, Wes had been there when they called, and Eric said he was forty-seven. But that should have been impossible.

S.P.D. Blue? Who was S.P.D. Blue?

He turned on the comm before he could stop himself.

He wasn't sure exactly who he was expecting to answer. If he'd been thinking clearly, he wouldn't have tried to call at this hour, or at least adjusted for a time during the day for who he was dialing. But he wasn't thinking clearly. He was thinking that Wes had a **son**, and he had a _brother_, and how none of this made any sort of sense.

When the call was finally picked up, the person that answered was definitely **not** someone he recognized.

" ... Hello?" the man in front of him asked uncertainly. "Is this thing on?"

Alex stared at him. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The man on the other side narrowed his eyes. "Sky Tate, S.P.D. Blue. Who are **you**?"

"Alex Collins, Time Force Red."

They stared at one another.

"You're real ... " Sky murmured, looking stunned. Then he winced. "Not to say that you weren't real before. It's just ... "

"Hard to believe?" Alex offered wryly.

Sky smirked slightly. "That's an understatement." He paused. "Uh ... should I get Eric? I'd get Dad, but um - "

"No," he said quickly. He swallowed as Sky looked startled. "I was told that you wanted to talk to me."

Sky blinked, then sighed and shook his head. "Actually, Eric wanted me to talk to you for some reason. He never really said why."

Alex frowned. "Did you have something to ask me?"

There was a long pause. "No," Sky said finally. "Why, was there something that **you** wanted to ask **me**?"

He frowned. "No."

Another pause.

Alex swallowed. "Sorry to have bothered you then." He switched off the comm without waiting for a response.

He leaned back in his chair, frowning to himself. Sky Tate ... He looked a lot like Wes, that was for sure. There was no mistaking they were related.

Kind of rude, though. Go figure.

* * *

He lasted about a week before he called again.

This time, he was relieved to see Sky answer. Sky on the other hand, scowled at him. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" he hissed. "What do you want?"

"What year were you born?" Alex demanded.

Sky stared at him for a moment before rubbing at his eyes and giving his head a rough shake. "What?"

Belatedly, Alex realized that it **was** the middle of the night. But he couldn't sleep until he got an answer. "When were you born?" he repeated.

Sky blinked some more, at last settling into an irritable scowl. "September 19, 2011. Why?"

Alex frowned. "Are you sure?"

Sky stared at him incredulously "Am I ... of **course** I'm sure!" he snapped. "Did you seriously call here at two in the morning just to ask me when my birthday is?!" His eyes narrowed. "You'd better be planning some kind of really amazing present, or so help me ... "

Alex gave him a puzzled look. "Why would I give you a present?"

There was a long silence as they stared at each other.

"I'm going back to bed," Sky growled, and the screen went blank.

Alex frowned. _What a jerk_.

* * *

The next time he called, Sky just sort of stared at him in annoyed expectation.

Alex frowned. "Why are you the only one who ever answers?" he asked.

"Because Mom usually falls asleep in her lab and can't hear anything, R.J. doesn't get up unless he feels like it, Eric sleeps like the dead, and Dad only gets up when Jen needs out or someone else makes him." Sky answered, scowling. "I, on the hand, am an active Ranger, which means the slightest noise wakes me up because I think it's either an attack or a call about an attack."

He supposed he could understand that. "Eric sleeps like the dead?" he repeated curiously.

Sky sighed. "If he's at home and in a bed, the only thing that wakes him up is Dad. If he's anywhere else, he wakes up when people breathe too loud."

He nodded thoughtfully, then frowned. "R.J.?" The name sounded familiar for some reason.

"R.J. Finn. My mom's boyfriend."

He blinked. "As in the Purple Jungle Fury Ranger?"

Sky frowned. "Yeah. Why?"

Alex stared at him in confusion. Why did Wes and Eric know the Purple Jungle Fury Ranger? And how long had they known him? Wait ... he was dating Sky's mother? Why wasn't there any record of this?

Sky moved to sit, folding his arms what looked like a table in front of him. Distantly, Alex wondered where he was answering from. "Why do you keep calling me, Alex?" he sighed.

There was a long moment as they looked at each other again.

"Because I had no idea that you existed, and I want to know why," Alex answered finally, his voice quiet.

Sky stared at him. "What?"

Alex sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "We discovered recently that Time Force has been hiding historical data from the public. I never heard of Sky Tate or any S.P.D. Rangers until you called us. What I don't know is **why**."

Silence.

"So you're saying ... " Sky shook his head slowly. "What, that we're all going to be destroyed by Grumm?" he demanded.

Alex frowned. "Grumm?" he echoed.

Sky leaned back, shaking his head again. "I don't believe this. So history doesn't even remember us in your time?"

"I'm saying that Time Force has hidden your existence," Alex corrected. "I don't know why. But for some reason, they don't want anyone to know about you or your team. What I want to know is why that is."

Sky stared at him for several minutes. "I'm going to bed," he said abruptly, and ended the call.

Eventually Alex leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "Why?" he asked the empty room, staring up at the ceiling.

He closed his eyes. _**Why**__?_

* * *

He spent roughly a month doing research, ignoring Ben's questions about when were they going to **leave** already, and the Rangers asking if he was all right. He went through every possible file he could find, inside and outside of Time Force. He interviewed people, and used his status as a Ranger to get into information he shouldn't have had.

He found absolutely **nothing**.

When he finally forced himself to make the call, Sky didn't seem at all surprised to see him. If anything, he was only slightly less annoyed than usual. "What is it?" he asked without preamble.

Alex stared at him for a moment, taking in the shape of his face, his hair, his features. Anyone with eyes could see that Sky was Wes' son. They might even have believed he was Alex's brother if he wanted them to.

"Time Force erased all evidence of your existence," he began slowly. "For some reason, they don't want anyone to know about who you are, or what you've done." He took a deep breath. "And I do."

Sky frowned slightly. "Why? Do you study history for a living or something? Or is it because we're brothers?"

He smiled faintly at the thought that Sky was more like Wes than he'd thought, considering them brothers. Then the first question hit him, and he paused. Study history?

"No, I don't," he said at last. "But I'd like to."

Sky was quiet for a moment. "First thing's first," he said finally. His eyes narrowed. "If we're going to keep talking like this, we need to set up a schedule. I need more sleep."

Slowly, Alex smiled. "I think that could be arranged."


	30. Life on Trial

I think my AlexMuse enjoys these plot twists even more than **I** do. Any resemblance to The Fink's Identiverse is unintentional, and after spending a great deal of time studying the courtroom from Ransik's trial, I have changed the way the judicial system works in the future. It shall (eventually) be completely explained.

Warning: Extreme angst and hinting of torture ahead. I apologize for nothing! -Cackles-

Chapter 30:Life on Trial

"We're gonna be late!" Ben hissed at him as they raced up the stairs and into the building. "I **told** you you should have just let me stay home today!"

Alex rolled his eyes. "Benji, you've missed fifteen years of a normal life already. I'm not letting you miss out on any more."

"It's just **one day**! And **don't** call me Benji!" Ben huffed.

He rolled his eyes again, pushing his brother in front of him as they skidded around a corridor.

The other Rangers were waiting for them outside.

"Where have you two **been**?" Katie demanded.

"It's A's fault," Ben said quickly. Katie had a tendency to intimidate him for some reason, even though she rarely tried to. "He was late picking me up from school 'cause he had his head stuck in another one of his stupid texts." He shot a glare at his brother. "I **told** him he should have just let me stay home today, but he said no."

"School **is** important," Trip pointed out.

Ben scowled at him. "You're only saying that 'cause you've never had to go," he argued.

Lucas glared fiercely as Trip visibly wilted, and Ben winced. "Sorry, Trip," he muttered, looking slightly guilty.

Trip tried to smile. "It's okay."

Jen shook her head, stepping closer to Alex with a look of concern. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

"I'll be fine."

She raised her eyebrows skeptically.

He sighed. "I'm petrified," he muttered, keeping his voice too low for anyone else to hear.

Her expression softened, and she reached up to touch his cheek in understanding. "Just remember why you're doing this," she reminded him softly. "And remember that no matter what, we're all behind you."

He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing in the feeling of her hand. _You say that now_, he thought distantly. _But you're about to learn how much I've been keeping from you, and you'll never look at me the same way again._

She was right about why, though. If he didn't do this, Ben or Trip would be forced to. Or worse yet, Blakemore would walk. And under no circumstances could he allow that to happen.

He was going to see the man burn, no matter how much it cost him to do it.

At last he opened his eyes to meet hers, nodding solemnly.

She sighed, reaching up to straighten his tie. "Maybe one of these days you'll actually believe me," she muttered, pausing to lean up and kiss him briefly.

He smiled a little when they separated again. "Maybe," he teased softly.

She rolled her eyes, smiling back reluctantly.

He hesitated. "Promise me something?"

"Anything."

He almost smiled again, but what he needed was too important. "No matter what I say up there, I need you to keep Ben and Trip quiet," he requested. "No matter how upset they get, I don't want them to get involved."

She frowned a little, but finally sighed and nodded. "I promise."

The intercom chimed. "_Day two of The People versus Jonathan Blakemore will commence in five minutes. All participants will please take their seats._"

They glanced at the door instinctively.

"Good luck, Alex," Katie spoke up, and he turned to see her giving him a supportive smile.

"Keep your head," Lucas advised, reaching out to grip his shoulder.

Ben was still frowning. "A, I can - "

"No," Alex interrupted, glaring at him. "You can't, and you're not."

Trip offered an uncertain smile. "We'll be here." He hesitated before moving to give Alex a swift one-armed hug. "Don't lose yourself, Alex," he murmured as he pulled away.

Alex swallowed hard, looking over each of them. At last he took a deep breath. "Let's go."

* * *

"The court calls voluntary witness Alexander Collins to the stand."

Jen's hand gripped his briefly beneath the table as Alex moved to stand. He didn't dare look at her now, let alone the others. If he thought too much about what he was about to do, he'd never be able to actually do it.

He felt cold, already starting to distance his emotions on instinct alone. The Rangers would be upset with him for it later, but that wasn't now. Now he needed whatever advantages he had to get him through this testimony.

_"I know you, Alex. I know how you grew up, I know what you've been through, and I know how hard you've fought to get where you are now. It's all ... jumbled up in my head, but I __**know**__."_

The words ran through his mind without warning, but he was surprised to find comfort in them. _Wes knows_, he reminded himself. _Wes knows everything, and he loves me. He's proud of me._

He focused on that memory as he took his place at the podium, looking to the holojudges calmly. He pictured Wes' smile, warm and understanding. _"I love you, Alex. And I am very, __**very**__ proud, to call you my son."_

"Please state your full name and occupation for the court," the center judge commanded.

_Wes knows me, and he loves me._

He firmed his chin. "Alexander Collins, civilian historical consultant for the Newtech City Library, and Time Force Red Ranger."

A soft chirp from the court recorder's station confirmed his match in the system.

"From this point on, you will be monitored for signs of dishonesty and fabrication in your testimony," the judge informed him. "You may proceed."

He was silent at first, taking a minute to gather his thoughts. He closed his eyes briefly, drew a breath, and began.

"My name is Alexander Collins, codename Subject A of the Morpher Project. I am one of two projects created in the year 2980, using DNA taken from Wesley Collins, Red Time Force Ranger, and Eric Myers, Quantum Ranger."

He heard the soft gasps and murmurs throughout the courtroom and ignored them, keeping his eyes trained on the wall across from him.

"The purpose of the Morpher Project was to create the Red Chrono and Quantum Morphers for Collins and Myers as listed in historical recordings, using the closest possible biological subjects for testing and development. The project has records of using time travel to procure the genetic material necessary to create both myself, and codename Subject B. Further investigation into the travel logs of the Time Force Time Travel Division has shown no record of request to make this journey."

He paused, taking a moment to steel himself. It took effort to open his mouth again, and he had to force himself to speak. "Subject B and myself were born May 1st, 2980. For the first three years of our lives, we were kept under close observation and given a basic education. At age four, we began physical conditioning and training. At age five we were given our morphers for the first time and requested to morph. It was discovered that while the Quantum Morpher did not have the ability to give a child the power to become a Power Ranger, the Red Chrono morpher could be adjusted to force the transformation. However, the results were ... undesirable." _Don't think don't think don't remember keep talking just keep talking ..._ "A new program was developed to increase our training as well as teaching military tactics and history. From that point on, each year as we aged, we were required to attempt to morph once again, with varying results."

He paused just long enough to swallow. "I first achieved the ability to morph at ten years of age, at which point it was discovered that only one on the verge of puberty could handle the transformation. At that point, I began to undergo testing to determine exactly how much physical trauma the morpher would compensate for." He hesitated briefly. _Don't think it wasn't you just keep talking. _"A Power Ranger may withstand an undetermined period of time without food or water until the moment they are forced to demorph, at which point the body is sent into immediate shock and goes into cardiac arrest. A morphed Ranger is impervious to illness and temperature change, and can go without sleep as well as sustenance indefinitely. While morphed, they may withstand up to 1000 pounds of pressure without injury, however a bladed weapon will cut through armor at a mere quarter of that amount. They may receive damage to non-vital internal organs, as they will eventually regenerate, but damage to vital organs will cause what is termed a 'forced demorph' and send the Ranger into cardiac arrest. At standby mode, the form in which the Ranger remains morphed but the helmet is removed, these results are reduced by fifty percent. When not morphed, a Ranger will only receive the benefits of regeneration at a greatly reduced rate."

He cleared his throat, adjusting his grip on his wrist behind him. He didn't remember when he'd come to parade rest, but it kept his hands from visibly shaking. "Subject B achieved morphing capability at eleven years of age. Our program was changed once again for the purpose of testing our capabilities against one another. Testing ranged from physical attacks, to weapons capability, to endurance. Fighting between us was both encouraged and frequently gambled upon.

"Shortly after we reached twelve - "

He stopped, swallowing hard. _Keep talking. It's just a story, it's not important just keep talking._ "Shortly after reaching twelve years of age," he began again, "The Quantum Morpher began to show signs of failing. Subject B began experiencing moments of physical weakness and emotional instability, which later developed into seizures and mood swings. Continued use of the Quantum Morpher left massive nerve and tissue damage. Six months later, Subject B became paralyzed from the waist down."

-- _"Hey ... A?"_

_"What is it? You should hurry. They'll be here soon."_

_"I want to. But I don't think I can ... "_

_" ... What are you talking about?"_

_"I can't feel my legs."_ --

He shook himself harshly out of the memory, clearing his throat again. "The next four months determined that it is possible for a morphed Ranger to compensate for loss of mobility, but as with other studies, it left the subject in a great deal of pain afterwards." _Ignore the screaming it's just in your head it's not really there just keep talking._ "In addition, the Ranger becomes dependant on the ability to morph to avoid pain, a condition that may be likened to substance abuse. Subject B's body continued to deteriorate until finally losing consciousness on March 12th during a standard blaster test. He was removed from the facility after proving to be in a comatose state and placed in cryogenic containment for later study."

His eyes were burning. He blinked once, and the sensation faded.

"Immediately following Subject B's lapse in consciousness, a secondary project was added to the program, codename Subject X. History shows in the wake of the fall of the planet Xybria of the Tamarin System, many members of the Xybrian race were sent into space in stasis pods, in hopes of the survival of their species. Time Force managed to find one of these pods, which possessed the body of a ten-year-old Xybrian male. The members of the Morpher Project split into two teams, one to continue the original project, and a second to study the physiology of the alien specimen." _Forgive me Trip I swear I don't mean it._

"Three years after the discovery of Subject X and the loss of Subject B, the laboratory was raided by members of a separate faction Time Force. All scientists involved in the experiments were arrested, and Subject X and myself put through several courses meant to integrate ourselves into society. Eventually we were given the option to join the Time Force Academy." He paused. "As I was fifteen years old and knew only what I had learned from the Morpher Project, I accepted. Subject X entered the Academy as well, citing that he did not wish to be separated from me, as I was the only person he knew. Time Force created documentation to prove our identities, officially giving me the name of Alexander Collins - "

He paused, his eyes flickering to Trip's almost on instinct. Trip's eyes were filled with tears, but he nodded once.

Alex swallowed. "And renaming Subject X to Trip Regis."

Another wave of murmuring swept through the courtroom.

He took another breath. _Halfway through just a little more don't stop or you'll never start again._ "After graduating from the Academy, I joined Time Force under the recommendation for the new Morpher Project, which was to develop and train five Power Rangers in the defense of Newtech City. I was accepted into the project by Commander Blakemore himself." For the first time, his eyes went across the room to where Blakemore sat in handcuffs, watching him with almost passive amusement. "I immediately recognized him as the organizer of the first Morpher Project, but all data linking him to it disappeared shortly before the laboratory raid." _Say it say it now or you never will_. "Despite this, I agreed to join the new project."

"I was returned the Red Chrono Morpher and officially promoted to active Ranger status. As an active Ranger, it became my duty to bring in any and all criminals deemed too strong to be brought in by normal means - namely, mutants. I spent another three years cleaning the streets until I was able to bring in the criminal Ransik, who later escaped with assistance from his daughter Nadira, and struck me down in combat shortly before retreating through a time hole to the year 2001."

He paused once more, gathering all the willpower he had left.

_Wes knows. Wes knows, and he loves me._

"What was unknown at that point was that I had a secondary mission."

_Forgive me, Jen._


	31. Secrets and Lies

Still don't like it as much as the last chapter, but Alex and Blakemore amuse me. And hey, an even **better** cliffhanger!

Chapter 31:Secrets and Lies

"Time Force has always had records of history," Alex explained carefully, "Especially historical facts relating to the Power Rangers. There is a specific period of Earth history between 1993 and 2008 in which a new team of Rangers has appeared nearly every year in defense of Earth. One of those listed teams, is the Time Force Rangers in Silver Hills of 2001."

He heard the gasp, and knew without looking that it was Jen. Jen had always been quick to put facts together. He could only pray that this time, she would understand.

"My secondary mission as Red Ranger was to protect the four chosen Time Force operatives and ensure that they received the Red Chrono Morpher, so that they would deliver it to the past and to Wesley Collins himself. At which point, history logs show that they would join with Collins and become the Pink, Blue, Yellow, and Green Rangers."

His gaze had returned to the wall at some point. He still didn't remember doing it. His wrist was starting to hurt though.

"After I awoke and recovered from Ransik's attack, I sent the Quantum Controller and the Q-Rex Zord into a Time Portal, to be eventually discovered by Eric Myers. From that point on I monitored the Rangers, maintaining their Zords and building them new equipment. Excluding a brief mission to join the other Rangers in 2001 for the express purpose of ensuring that they had not forgotten their own mission, I had very little direct contact with them until Ransik was recaptured, and they returned to the present permanently.

"Shortly after their return, I was presented with the Red Chrono Morpher recently released from the vaults, and ordered to become the Red Ranger once again." He hesitated. "Due to my initial reluctance to work with the other Rangers, Commander Blakemore began to approach me in private, threatening to revive Subject B, and later threatening the families of the other Rangers to keep me isolated from them. Eventually the Rangers forced me to tell them the truth about the situation, and began protecting me from Blakemore's influence. In retaliation, he kept his promise to revive Subject B. He was put under three years worth of age progression to bring him to fifteen years of age, and given the Quantum Morpher."

He paused to gather his thoughts again, rubbing his wrist behind his back. "For seven months, Captain Scotts, Lieutenants Kendall and Walker, Squad Leader Regis, and myself began actively searching for information to implicate Commander Blakemore and his associates in illegal activities. Benjamin Myers, formerly known as Subject B, secretly worked inside Time Force as well, gathering information on his own.

"We received a mission from Time Force citing the escape of three unusual mutants who were not part of Ransik's original escape, and ordered to send one Ranger into the timeline after them. Our leader, Jennifer Scotts, volunteered herself and left the rest of us to continue our work to bring down Time Force. Shortly after we lost contact with her, we received a distress call from the year 2002, from Wesley Collins and Eric Myers. While investigating possible reasons for the escaped criminals to have come to that particular time, Squad Leader Regis made a discovery of hidden information inside a file on the Wild Force Rangers. It stated that in 2002, the Wild Force Rangers teamed up with six Time Force Rangers to defeat a trio of criminals known as 'Mutorgs'. In light of this discovery, Lieutenants Kendall and Walker went to Nadira, the daughter of Ransik, who has recently gone through a reform program and successfully integrated herself into society. They asked for her assistance in learning if her father had any information on the Mutorgs."

"Upon gaining access to Ransik, they realized that his behavior was ... odd. Squad Leader Regis evoked his Ranger status to have Ransik released to their custody, and had him brought back to our headquarters at Time Force to be examined more closely. We discovered significant amounts of lorazepam, clonazepam, fluoxetine, ciprofloxacin, metoprolol, prednisone, phentermine, and codeine. The official lab results are part of the evidence I submitted at the beginning of this trial," he added in afterthought. "To protect Ransik, I ordered that he and Nadira be brought to the past with the other Rangers to find the Mutorgs, while I went to investigate Vanera Maximum Security Prison myself.

"Inside the prison, I found every inmate to be in the same state as Ransik." _Keep going you can say it it's in the past now_. "However, I was discovered and attacked by Benjamin Myers." He found himself faltering anyway. "I later learned that he was acting in my defense, to buy me time to escape. He managed to slip me information during our fight." He swallowed hard, and his eyes burned again. "Just before I shot him."

Another low murmur went through the crowd.

It was disrupted by a slight scuffling sound from the area where the Rangers were sitting. He dared at glance and found Ben struggling to get up. Katie had a hand over his mouth and was trying to pin him down. After another moment of struggling back and forth, she finally sat on him.

"I went back to Time Force and reported to Captain Logan, who ordered me to take a time ship and join the other Rangers in 2002." He hesitated. "I was later informed that I'd gone into shock."

A louder scuffle came from the Rangers' area, and was abruptly silenced.

He was still hesitating, and he knew it. While important, this wasn't exactly something he wanted to share. But there was no believable way around it, even if there had been a way to fool the monitors. "During my time in 2002, I spent time with Wesley Collins," he said finally. "We ... came to an understanding, of sorts."

He could see the monitor lights flashing 'uncertainty', but he wasn't going to clarify further without being asked. It **was** an understanding. Just a complicated one.

"But on the morning of our departure, something ... happened." He frowned. "It's complicated to explain. Collins and I share the same morpher, just from different time periods. I made the mistake of touching his left hand and ... " He reached down almost absently to rub his morpher. "Our morphers merged."

He saw a table light for one of the judges go off out of the corner of his eye, and turned his attention to him.

"Can you clarify that statement?" the man asked, frowning at him.

Alex hesitated. "I'm not sure, your honor," he admitted. "The best explanation I can give is that the two morphers merged into one - and merged Collins and I in the process."

"Merged **you**?" he repeated, looking incredulous even though his projected image.

He nodded. "We exchanged memories and information. It happened so fast everything was sort of ... thrown together," he explained, frowning deeper. "We were mostly only aware of surface information and a few very important memories. And then the morphers split, and we were ourselves again. But the information remained." He swallowed. "Which meant that Collins became aware that I am his genetic descendant."

_"I love you, Alex. And I am very, __**very**__ proud, to call you my son."_

"He called me his son."

Was he smiling?

He shook his head slowly, but the smile wouldn't fade completely no matter how hard he tried. "He insisted that no matter how I was born, I was his son."

Reality reasserted itself as the rest of the moment returned, and his smile finally faded with a sigh. "I forced him to promise never to tell **anyone** the truth about who I was - not even Myers. He reluctantly agreed, and shortly after we returned to the present. That's when we learned that Admiral Logan and the Quantum Ranger had organized an effort to remove the old Time Force."

Another light at the judges' table went off. "And you automatically assumed that the Quantum Ranger was your ally?" the judge on the right asked skeptically.

Alex looked at his morpher for a moment. "When my brother and I were children, we made each other a promise," he explained softly. "'Brothers first, everything else second.' No matter what we do in front of other people, we are first and always, brothers." He glanced up finally, looking directly at the judge who'd asked. "I forgot that promise for awhile. But once I remembered it, I knew that no matter what Ben was doing, I could still trust him." He looked down again, frowning. "I just wish I'd remembered it sooner."

He shook himself again. "In the time since the arrests were made, I have discovered further proof that Time Force has hidden information about Earth's history, in addition to the charges already against them.

A light lit up a desk in the audience, and he turned to address the question.

"What sort of information has Time Force been hiding?" an older woman in a white uniform asked, frowning.

"I have evidence that Time Force originated on Earth as the organization Space Patrol Delta in the early twenty-first century," he answered. "In addition there was another Ranger team stationed on Earth during that time period that is not documented to exist."

Another light caught his attention, and he found himself staring at Blakemore again. "These accusations you've made are all well and good," Blakemore drawled, "But what do they have to do with the charges against **me**? Do you even have any evidence of my involvement? You said yourself the data 'linking' me to the original Morpher Project disappeared." He made quotations with his fingers, and smiled unpleasantly. "And after everything you've just said, do you honestly expect anyone to believe you?"

Slowly, Alex smiled. "No. I don't," he returned calmly. "But I expect they'll believe this."

He keyed his morpher.

_"You __**planned**__ to have Time Force investigated?"_

_Laughter. "Of course I did! What better way to regain control? Let the police come in and take out the 'old' Time Force, clean things up a bit. Take out the board of directors, the old staff, everyone involved in the old projects. Let the public think that we're 'new and improved'. And then ... That's when we start recruiting again. Remind people what Time Force is __**really**__ about."_

_"And what's that?"_

_"Progress. Creating the world the way __**we**__ want it. Time Force has shaped the public's opinion on the past and present. We've created their idea of right and wrong. Time Force is what keeps this planet in check."_

_"You honestly believe that? You - you're __**torturing**__ people, hiding information about our history, and you think it's __**right**__?!"_

_"Torturing? Is that what you think it is we do? We're __**curing**__ people, Alexander. Sure, there's going to be some suffering along the way - that's just part of the scientific process. But by working to eliminate mutated genes, we're protecting people, protecting their futures. And who cares about a bunch of criminals anyway? Better them than some poor, honest citizen, right?"_

_"And me? Ben, and Trip?"_

_"Isn't it obvious? You and Benjamin were necessary for maintaining the timeline. History has documented the existence of the Time Force and Quantum Rangers. We needed you to ensure that happened. As for the Xybrian, he __**is**__ one of the last of his kind. How else were we supposed to learn about his species?"_

_"Why have you been hiding information about the past, then? Like the Time Force and Wild Force Rangers meeting?"_

_"Well, we couldn't just __**tell**__ you everything, now could we? You have to work for things. Like that thing ... The death of the Red Time Force Ranger. You needed false information to figure out the best way to handle the situation."_

_"You mean you lied about Wes' death?"_

_"Well, he's going to die someday, isn't he?"_

_" ... What did you do to my brother?"_

_"Just a minor adjustment we placed in his morpher before he was revived. Produces an electric current when Benjamin needs ... reminding, of where his loyalties lie."_

The expression on Blakemore's face made him hope there was a way to get a copy of the surveillance tapes.

"There's an interesting thing about the Chrono Morphers," Alex explained for the benefit of the courtroom. "They have the ability to record images and sounds for a brief period of time. I was never quite sure why that was when I was younger." He turned to smile directly at Blakemore.

The center holojudge cleared his throat. "Are there any further questions?"

Silence.

He nodded once, turning to Alex. "You are dismissed, Mr. Collins. Thank you for your cooperation."

He inclined his head, waiting for the chime that signaled he'd been disconnected from the system. When it came, he walked to find a place in the audience to sit, keeping his eyes straight and avoiding the stares around him.

He almost walked past the Rangers, but Jen caught his arm and dragged him into his original seat beside her. He looked at her in surprise and found her staring at him with a dark expression. Her hand squeezed his uncomfortably tight, and she leaned in to whisper in his ear. "This conversation is **far** from over," she hissed.

He swallowed and nodded.

But he noticed that her hand didn't separate from his, and felt marginally better.

"The court recognizes Commander Blakemore," one of the judges announced, and Alex forcibly pulled his attention back to the rest of the room.

Blakemore stood. "I request permission to bring in my commissioned witness."

The center judge nodded. "Your request is granted. Bring in the witness!"

Alex frowned. A commissioned witness was a person usually brought to the trial through Time Travel, to prove or disprove a point. They only needed to be cleared with the court, so there was no reason anyone else would have known about it. But who could Blakemore possibly have commissioned in his defense?

The man the bailiffs escorted into the room was somewhat tall, with graying blond hair in a cut that could almost be considered military - if a bit insubordinate. He was dressed in a gray and red tracksuit, and walked with a dog at his side. His gaze moved around the room suspiciously, but his hand stayed firmly on the dog's leash as he was led to the witness' podium. There was something uncannily familiar about him, but Alex couldn't quite place it.

"Please state your full name and occupation for the court," the center judge commanded.

The man raised his eyebrows, folding his arms. "Why should I?" he countered. "The last thing I knew, I was taking my dog for a walk when I was **ambushed** and kidnapped without the chance to even get word to my family. Give me one good reason why I should cooperate with you."

Alex sucked in a breath at the sound of the man's voice. Beside him, Jen let out a strangled cry.

The judge sighed. "I apologize for your abrupt arrival. You have been brought to the year 3002 to participate in the trial of The People versus Jonathan Blakemore. Once your testimony has finished, you will be returned to your appropriate time and place with no memory of what has taken place."

"I doubt that," the man muttered darkly. His dog whined, and he ruffled its ears reassuringly.

"Now. Please state your full name and occupation for the court."

He looked up and sighed. "Sergeant Commander Wesley Alan Collins of S.P.D. Earth, Newtech City Base, and Red Time Force Ranger of the Newtech Rangers. Escorted by Jen," he added in afterthought, reaching down to give the dog another pat.

The courtroom went still.


	32. Altered Futures

Much love and hugs to phantom_blue for repeatedy doing beta on this chapter for me, until it finally didn't completely suck.

Chapter 32:Altered Futures

The court recorder's station flashed warningly. "_No match. No match._"

The center judge frowned. "Would you repeat that?"

Wes looked at him oddly. "Sergeant Commander Wesley Alan Collins of S.P.D. Earth, Newtech City Base. Red Time Force Ranger of the Newtech Rangers, escorted by Jen."

The dog at his side wagged its tail.

"That's impossible!" someone burst out.

"Silence!" another judge ordered, slamming his gavel.

Wes' eyes narrowed slightly. He reached behind him, removing something and holding it open. It was some sort of badge, with what looked like the old Space Patrol Delta logo. "Does this help?" he asked, sounding faintly irritated.

The judge nearest to him leaned in closer to examine it. After a moment, he cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. "The court recognizes Commander Wesley Collins. Add him to the court system."

"Sergeant Commander," Wes corrected, slipping the badge back into his pocket.

"Sergeant Commander," the judge repeated.

The center judge's desk lit up. "Once you have been added to the court system Sergeant Commander Collins, you will be monitored through the computer for signs of dishonesty as you give testimony to the court. Throughout your testimony, you may be asked questions by the rest of the courtroom, which you will be required to acknowledge and answer. When your testimony is complete, you will be dismissed and returned to your own time."

"_System updated. Witness confirmed_," the computer declared.

"From this point on, you will be monitored for signs of dishonesty and fabrication in your testimony," the center judge informed him finally. "You have been brought here by request of the defendant, Commander Jonathan Blakemore. He will ask questions of you to explain his purpose in bringing you here."

Wes stiffened slightly. There was a pause, and at last he nodded once in acknowledgement. "Understood."

Alex felt his brother lean in close on his left. "He's just like you, A," Ben whispered in his ear, sounding awed.

Alex frowned, nodding slowly in acknowledgement. But this wasn't right. The Wes **he** knew wasn't like him at all. Not like this.

Blakemore moved to stand, giving Wes one of his poisonous smiles. The dog growled softly, and Wes put a hand on it. "Down, Jen," he murmured, barely audible to the microphone.

Alex thought he heard Katie snort.

"Mr. Collins, Alexander Collins informed the court during his testimony that you were aware of the use of your genetic material to create him," Blakemore began, eyeing the dog warily despite the fact that it was on the other side of the room. "Is this true?"

Wes stiffened again. His jaw clenched for a moment. "Yes," he said finally.

Blakemore's smile widened. "Then it could also be said that you **allowed** the use of this material."

Wes' eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Depends on how you look at it."

That made Blakemore pause. "Are you saying that you did not consent to Mr. Collin's creation?"

"Of course I did," Wes snapped. "But that's - "

"I submit to the court that Wesley Collins has admitted to knowing that Time Force would use his genetic material to create Alexander Collins and Benjamin Myers for the Morpher Project, and agreed to giving his consent. Therefore, the material was *not* taken illegally, as Alexander Collins would suggest," Blakemore interrupted smoothly. "Instead, I submit that Wesley Collins not only knew about the Project and it's use of his material, but willingly cooperated with it."

"That's a **lie**!" Wes burst out.

Blakemore turned back to look at him with an expression of mock surprise. "A lie? And how is that, Mr. Collins?"

Wes glared at him. "What I 'consented' to, and what I **thought** Alex was telling me, are two different things," he said coldly. "What I found out from Alex was that he and his brother were made from my 'genetic material'. He believed that Time Force had taken a sample from Eric and I at some point in our lives and brought it to the future, where he and Ben were created. He made me promise to allow that to happen. And I promised, because I didn't know what Time Force had **really** done."

Blakemore's eyebrows went up. "And what was that?"

Wes stared back coldly. "Eric and I used a place called New Life Laboratories to genetically create a child between the two of us, using a surrogate mother provided by the lab. I **thought** Time Force was going to take the unused samples from the process." He stopped, closing his eyes with an expression of pain. " ... But a week after the boys were born, they disappeared from the nursery. The security cameras showed four men in white uniforms stunning the guards right before they picked them up and disappeared. It's only there for one frame, but the camera caught a Time Force badge on one of the uniforms."

The courtroom dissolved into chaos.

"Silence!" the judge roared, slamming his gavel repeatedly.

Alex barely heard him. "That's ... that's impossible," he muttered, feeling numb. "It ... he can't be ... "

"A?" Ben sounded frightened and uncertain. "Alex, I don't ... I don't understand ... "

He moved automatically to wrap his arm around his brother, pulling him closer. "I don't know, Benji," he murmured. "I don't ... "

For once, Ben didn't even protest the nickname.

The courtroom seemed to finally have quieted down. The judges were staring at Wes. The center judge cleared his throat. "Sergeant Commander Collins are you - "

"I'm saying that Time Force stole my children from me," Wes interrupted. His free hand clenched around the podium. "I'm saying that Time Force is responsible for kidnapping Alexander and Benjamin, my children, and bringing them to the future to become some sort of science experiment using the excuse that it was so Eric and I would become Rangers. I'm saying that Time Force tore my family apart."

The dark fury in his eyes was unmistakable, and so unlike the Wes he'd known it sent shivers down Alex's spine.

_No ..._ he thought distantly. _Wes is only that angry when family is at stake. When his mother was ... _

He felt light-headed. _He is. He's my ... I have a ..._

The feeling of a hand gripping his shoulder painfully tight brought his attention to Jen. He blinked at her for a moment as the world began to lighten again. "Jen ... " he murmured. "Wes is ... Wes is my ... "

"I know, Alex." Jen reached out with her other hand to touch his cheek. "But stay with me, okay? We can ... " She swallowed. "We'll deal with all this later. Just don't black out on me again. Okay?"

He nodded slowly. "I'll try."

"Can I pass out?" Ben mumbled on his other side.

"I don't think so," Katie hissed.

Ben yelped, turning a scandalized glare on her. "You **pinched** me!" he said incredulously.

"Quiet!" Jen whispered sharply, reaching around Alex to swat him.

Ben whimpered, ducking under Alex's arm. "Evil women," he muttered under his breath.

"Mr. Collins," Blakemore began again, eyeing Wes with a look that could only be described as calculating. "Would you please tell us how your life proceeded after your children disappeared?"

Wes frowned. "After Alex and Ben were **kidnapped**," he stressed, then paused, the fight draining out of him with a sigh. His eyes grew distant. "Eric and I split up after I finally told him the truth." He blinked suddenly, and shrugged a little. "Eventually I joined S.P.D., and my son Sky was born after that."

"Wes ... " Alex heard Jen whisper beside him.

"And you're ... what was it you said? 'Sergeant Commander' now?" Blakemore pressed.

Wes snorted softly, looking down for a moment. "I'm a member of the Training Department. Anyone below the captain and his lieutenant for that department is a sergeant." When he looked up again, he seemed introspective, even a little sad. "The commander ... I started out as Captain, for my rank as a Ranger. But since Aquitar ... " He trailed off, eventually shaking his head. "I became Commander of my own team."

"So what you're telling us is that after losing your children, you went on to have another child, joined a prestigious organization, and became a leading figurehead of that organization," Blakemore summarized.

Wes laughed abruptly. "I wouldn't say that's exactly how it happened," he said wryly, looking faintly amused.

"But you have made a difference as a member of Space Patrol Delta, correct?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You could say that."

"And your child?"

He smiled slowly. "Sky? Yeah. Sky's made a big difference for S.P.D. All the kids have."

Blakemore gave him another one of his poisonous smiles in return. "It would seem to me, Mr. Collins, that your life without your children has continued on as it should have. The most impact their disappearance made was to push you in the proper direction that your life was meant to take. Should Alexander and Benjamin not disappeared, you would never have been pushed to join Space Patrol Delta. Your other son would not have been born, and neither of you would have made the impact you have on the organization. Their disappearance was necessary to the timeline."

Wes stared at him, his smile gone. "**Excuse** me?" he demanded.

"History shows us that your life was meant to be in service to Time Force. As a predecessor to Time Force, your work with Space Patrol Delta was important to the timeline for the present to exist as it has," Blakemore explained calmly. "Therefore, the disappearance of your children, while regrettable, was necessary in directing you to Space Patrol Delta."

There was a long moment of silence as Wes continued to stare at him. The look in his eyes was dark, and Alex briefly wondered if Wes would leap across the podium at him. If Wes didn't, he was fairly certain the dog snarling softly at his side would.

"You can't say that," Wes said finally, his fist clenching on the side of the podium. His right hand remained firmly on the dog's leash.

"Mr. Collins - "

"You can't," he interrupted flatly, glaring. "Eric and I **always** planned to have a big family. You can't say that Sky would never have been born. Everyone always tells me he looks more like me than his mother anyway. And as for joining S.P.D., they were still in the recruiting stages when I signed up. They had planned to contact Eric and I all along - they just hadn't gotten to us yet." He shook his head. "Time isn't linear. We each make our own destiny. We already proved that in 2001, when Circuit's information kept changing, or when Katie swore she'd met a ghost in the Clock Tower who didn't exist. You can't say for sure that your actions pushed my choices, because you haven't seen what might have happened if we were left alone. If anything, some good people might still be alive today." He closed his eyes again briefly with another pained expression. When he opened them again, he looked directly at Blakemore, his voice hard. "Don't use my life as an excuse for your actions. You have **no idea** what might have happened if you hadn't interfered."

There was a long silence.

The three judges seemed to confer for a moment. "Alexander Collins, please approach the bench," the left judge commanded.

Alex frowned, carefully removing his arm from Ben and accepting a last hand squeeze from Jen as he moved forward. "Yes, your honor?" he greeted politely as he came forward.

"With your consent, the court would like you and Sergeant Commander Collins to recreate this ... 'merging' you spoke of earlier," the judge explained, nodding to Wes.

Wes paled slightly. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said quickly.

"I'll do it," Alex spoke over him.

Wes looked at him, clearly worried. "Alex ... " He swallowed hard. "Things have ... my life's ... changed, a lot. I'm not the same person I was the last time we did this."

Alex stared back at him calmly. "Neither am I."

Wes hesitated, looking torn. At last he sighed and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "All right," he muttered. "All right. I'll do it."

Alex held out his left hand. _Please let this work_, he prayed silently. _Please, __**please**__ work_.

Wes swallowed, still hesitating. "I'm sorry, Alex," he whispered finally.

His hand closed around Alex's, and the world went red.


	33. A Life so Tragic

This chapter is mostly flashbacks of events from Bright Skies that Alex wouldn't know about, but the two new moments Wes flashes to make me want to write the stories behind them. Someday, I actually might.

Chapter 33:A Life so Tragic

-- _"You have to promise me that you won't tell __**anyone**__. Not even Eric."_

_"Alex ... "_

_"Please, Wes."_

_A long silence._

_"All right. I don't like it. But I promise I won't tell."_ --

-- _What were Alex and Ben doing now, he wondered silently. He knew through what the Chrono Morphers had told him that they would never have a true childhood. They were too small right now to be able to morph. Were they being taken care of? Were they aware enough of their surroundings yet to know that they weren't home, that these weren't the people who loved them?_

_He rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. "I'm sorry," he whispered._ --

-- _"Are you being deliberately dense?"_

_"Eric!"_

_"What? I say I wanted Sky to be able to talk to his brother, they tell me Alex is busy, and then ask what Sky's brother has to do with anything. Is there some sort of secret code you're all using that I don't know or something?"_

_"What does Sky have to do with Alex?"_ --

-- _"My dad and Eric weren't the first to wear their Ranger uniforms - my older brothers were. Alex was Time Force Red, too. He lives with my dad's team, in the future. He was nearly destroyed trying to protect people, just like my dad. And Ben was the Quantum Ranger. He ... he gave his life in the line of duty." Sky took a deep breath, sounding choked. "My father, my step-father, and both of my older brothers were all Red Rangers. All I ever wanted was to live up their legacy. I did __**everything**__ S.P.D. told me to! I followed orders to the letter, no matter __**what**__ I thought of them. But for some reason, whatever I did wasn't good enough. I'm not good enough to be Red. I'm __**Blue**__."_ --

-- _"I knew ... that Alex is our son. Genetically. What I learned when our morphers merged, was that Alex was born from DNA created from you and me - and so was his brother, Ben. I didn't know that Time Force would actually kidnap our boys because they __**were**__ Alex and Ben."_

_He heard Eric suck in his breath sharply, and looked up with moist eyes. "I thought, that I was going to protect them from __**hurting**__ the boys - not take them away from us completely. I thought about it, but I didn't think Time Force could actually do that without damaging the time stream." He swallowed, and knew for certain that he was crying now. "And when I was thinking earlier, I realized that Alex doesn't know that he's our __**son**__. He thinks he's just a DNA experiment."_

_Eric was staring at him, sitting so still he barely looked like he was breathing._

_"He doesn't realize he was born because I love you," he finished, his voice cracking._ --

-- _"E-Eric?" He swallowed again, silently wishing he didn't sound so pathetic. "Look, I ... I know ... it's been awhile. I just ... " He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall of the lounge. "I have another son," he said at last, trying to sound happy and failing. "I don't know if you ever read that letter I mailed you to try and explain ... _

_"Vanessa uh, she finally had the baby. It's a boy. I'd ... I'd really like for you to see him. Me. Um ... you still have my cell number. I haven't changed it, or anything. We're at Newtech City Medical Center, room 503. It's listed under Vanessa Tate." He paused. "Please call me. I miss you," he whispered._ --

-- _"I haven't done this in a long time," he murmured, tugging the blanket a little higher on his shoulder._

_"I haven't done this __**ever**__," Justin retorted. "And if Zhane doesn't move his hand __**right now**__, we're never doing it again," he added warningly._

_"But it's comfy where it is!"_

_"Zhane ... "_

_"Spoil sport."_

_"You know, no one is ever going to believe that I spent the night in a bed with five guys and absolutely nothing happened between us," Tori remarked, sounding amused._

_"It's too cold for anything to be happening," Chip told her, shivering._

_"And three of us are married, and one's in a committed relationship," Dax pointed out._

_"Thanks, Dax," he grumbled, mostly good-natured. "You always know how to make me feel better about myself."_

_"Sorry, Wes."_

_"You think you'll ever be ready to talk about it?" Tori asked softly, and somewhere under the blanket he felt her hand move to touch his arm._

_He sighed quietly. "Maybe someday. Just ... not now."_

_She squeezed his hand. "Just remember we're here when you need to talk, okay?"_

_He smiled weakly, shifting closer for warm as he felt Dax burrow in closer against his back. "I know."_

Eric ... I miss you_, he sighed to himself, trying to ignore the strange sounds in the night and close his eyes._

_"__**Zhane**__!"_

_"__**Ow**__!"_ --

-- _Their eyes caught again, and he could see the agony in Eric's. "I __**want**__ to forgive you," Eric repeated, looking tortured. "But I don't know if I can."_ --

-- _"Sky? You can stop now. It's okay, I promise."_

_Sky looked up at him, a tear slipping down his cheek. "It's never gonna be okay again," he whispered. The wall dropped, and both boys fell forward, unconscious._ --

-- _The cords never seemed to end, and working by feel was pointless. Every time he thought he'd finally gotten __**one**__ strand free, he'd find a new giant knot holding it in place further down. The longer he worked, the worse it got, and no matter how hard he tried, it just seemed useless._

_"That's __**it**__!" he shouted at last, throwing an entire wad away from him. There was a loud smack as it hit what he vaguely hoped was the wall, but he didn't particularly care. He kicked furiously at the few remaining strands at his feet, at last burying his face in his hands. He scrunched his eyes shut, trying desperately not to cry. Why was he even bothering? He wouldn't be able to see the results anyway. What did it matter? Why should he care?_

_"Dad?" Sky's hand brushed his shoulder hesitantly. "Dad, it's okay. We don't have to have lights on the tree this year."_

_There was a pause, and Sky's arms came around him as he leaned in close. "Please don't cry, Dad," he pleaded softly._ --

-- _"Well, well, well. Look what we have here."_

_"Mirloc." His voice came out surprisingly even._

_"If it isn't the Ranger who wouldn't die. Tell me, is it difficult to live with the knowledge that you failed to protect your friends?"_

_"Every day," he returned calmly. "Is it difficult to live with the knowledge that if I threw away my S.P.D. badge right now, I could destroy you without a second thought?"_

_Mirloc laughed at him. "You wouldn't dare. That badge is your life."_

_"That's where you're wrong," he hissed. "My __**family**__ is my life. And you have no idea what I'll do for family."_ --

-- "_You want __**me**__ to lead the team to Aquitar?" he demanded, his voice nearly cracking in shock. He stared at Tommy and Cruger in disbelief. "Why me?"_

_Tommy sighed. "It came down to a decision between you, Andros, or Jason. And to be completely honest, your Squad will be easiest to cover while you're gone." He looked up with guilty eyes. "This mission is going to be sending you straight into a war zone. The few specifics we were able to get from Aquitar were, well ... " He hesitated, then passed over a file._

_He read silently, feeling the blood drain from his face. This was .... He fought the urge to grab for a chair._

_"You do of course, have the right to refuse," Cruger informed him._

_He was already shaking his head. "No. I'm a Power Ranger. I can't just leave those people to die."_ --

-- _"Talk to me?"_

_"It doesn't feel like it's over," he admitted softly. "I know it really isn't, because there's still all the legal work and trials, but ... it doesn't feel real."_

_"But it is. We did it, Alex. The old Time Force is gone. And now we can build a new Time Force, one that's honest and good."_

_He swallowed. "I don't know if I want to be part of that Time Force, Jen."_

_He felt her looking at him, but he couldn't meet her eyes. "I mean ... I'm not saying I don't want to be a Ranger anymore." He looked down at the morpher on his wrist, touching it absently. "I couldn't give that up even if I wanted to, and for the first time in my life ... I don't."_

_He paused for a moment to marvel at that statement. For the first time in his life, he __**liked**__ being a Power Ranger. Was proud of it, even. It was a bizarre feeling._

_He wondered what Wes would have thought of that._ --

-- _"Sounds like things at S.P.D. have changed a bit in your time," Jack commented._

_"You have no idea," Sam laughed. "Some things are still the same, but there's definitely some difference between here in the past, and where I come from."_

_"Like what?" Z wondered._

_"Sorry, but I really can't tell you. The commander made me swear not to alter the timeline any more than necessary." The teen sounded genuinely regretful._

_He frowned slightly, glancing at Eric again. For someone who was sent to change the past, why would Sam be worried about changing the timeline? If he was supposed to stop the future he came from, it shouldn't matter what he told them ... right?_ --

-- _"I can't believe we did it," Blue Overdrive breathed. "I mean ... Broodwing's gone ... right?"_

_Blue Turbo crouched down for a moment on the pavement, finally raising a small silver card. "He's in my hand," he said almost wonderingly. "After all these years, and I've got him __**sitting in my hand**__." He shook his head in disbelief._

_"Can I hold him?" Yellow Zeo asked tentatively. "I mean ... Just to make sure it's real?"_

_Blue Turbo passed him over without question, and Red Time Force rose slowly to his feet. "Broodwing is out of our lives for good," he said softly, hoping saying the words out loud would make it feel more real. He smiled a little as he still felt numb. "He can never come after us or hurt our kids again." There were tears in his eyes, and he blinked them away rapidly._

_A hand settled on his shoulder, and he looked up at Quantum Ranger with a faint smile. There was something in the way the other Ranger looked at him that he could tell even through the helmet, and he found himself laughing, hugging his husband and leaning into his shoulder. Because he knew. He knew what Eric was thinking, and he knew that Eric could tell he felt the same way._

_"We have really got to work on our timing for these decisions," he chuckled._

_"Us? Timing?" Quantum Ranger snorted, even as a hand came up to touch his back._ --

-- _There was another knock on the door. "Are you __**ever**__ coming out?" Eric demanded as he leaned against the frame. "R.J.'s been giving me funny looks, and it's starting to creep me out."_

_"He does that just because it bothers you, you know. Hey, does this look straight to you?"_

_Hands closed over his. "It's fine. Stop fussing." He paused, studying his face for a moment. "This was __**your**__ idea, you know."_

_"I know." He managed a weak attempt at a smile. "Just ... I guess now that it's actually happening, it feels a little weird."_

_Eric frowned. "No bad feelings?" He eyed his morpher meaningfully._

_He shook his head. "Not bad feelings. Just ... " He shrugged a little, and this time the smile was pained. "I'm not used to getting a happy ending, you know?"_ --

-- _Her expression softened, her eyes turning serious. "I'll be there for you both, you know. No matter what you decide, I'll do anything I can to help you."_

_"You mean that?"_

_"With all my heart. I'm not letting you go again, Alex. Not for anything, or anyone."_

_"Even though - "_

_Her free hand pressed gently over his lips as she shook her head. "I know you, and I love you," she said softly. "That's enough for me."_

_His answering smile was hesitant. He reached into his pocket almost automatically, trying to keep his hand from shaking as he found what he was looking for. "Does that mean ... you'll take this back?"_ --

-- _When he saw them, déja vu hit him hard. Yet again, a wave of endless robots marching toward him, a clear blue sky above, and no one standing behind him._ I'm not alone, _he reminded himself, blinking harshly_. I'm not alone. My team is with me. We'll get through this.

_"Wes!"_

_He started, turning to look at the Quantum Ranger as he crouched down behind Sky's motorcycle. "Don't forget!" the other called. He raised his left wrist, displaying his morpher._

_Slowly, he smiled to himself. Somehow Eric always knew him better than he thought he did. He raised his own morpher in response, whispering "Partners," to himself._

_Because he wasn't alone. His team was all around him._ --

-- _"I already learned my lesson about not trusting people when I should have, Ben. I'm not going to make that mistake again." Katie held out a hand._

_Ben stared at it for a moment before his eyes darted back up to her. "But ... I don't ... I don't understand."_

_"It's a hand. You shake it," Katie teased him gently. Her expression softened. "You're a Power Ranger too, aren't you? That means you're our teammate."_

_He blinked, looking back at her hand again. Slowly, carefully, he reached out to shake it. "I ... guess so," he admitted, peeking up at her shyly._

_She stared at him. "And I thought Alex looked like Wes."_ --

-- _"Why do you keep calling me, Alex?" Sky sighed._

_There was a long moment as they looked at each other again._

_"Because I had no idea that you existed, and I want to know why," he answered finally, his voice quiet._

_Sky stared at him. "What?"_

_He sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "We discovered recently that Time Force has been hiding historical data from the public. I never heard of Sky Tate or any S.P.D. Rangers until you called us. What I don't know is __**why**__."_ --

-- _"Something isn't right." Kat spoke up with a frown. "These readings are off the charts. The energy output should be contained within the morphers."_

_Billy's head snapped up. "The morphers aren't containing the energy?" he demanded._

_She shook her head as Justin turned to peer over her shoulder. "The energy is everywhere. And it's ... rising. I - "_

_"Everyone duck!" Justin shouted suddenly, shoving Kat to the floor._ --

-- _"How long have you known about this, Sky?"_

_Sky shrugged a shoulder. "I dunno," he muttered._

_"Awhile?"_

_Sky just nodded._

_"More than a year?"_

_Another nod._

_They sat in silence for several minutes. "Why?" he asked finally._

_Sky started to shrug again, then hesitated. "I ... You don't ... like it," the boy said finally, frowning at the opposite wall. "When Bethie does stuff, or when Bridge acts up."_

_Wes felt his chest being squeezed, and it was suddenly hard to breathe. Sky had noticed. Sky had __**noticed**__. His own son was afraid to talk to him because he was prejudiced._ --

-- "I know you, Alex. I know how you grew up, I know what you've been through, and I know how hard you've fought to get where you are now. It's all ... jumbled up in my head, but I **know**."

_The words ran through his mind without warning, but he was surprised to find comfort in them. _Wes knows,_ he reminded himself_. Wes knows everything, and he loves me. He's proud of me.

_He focused on that memory as he took his place at the podium, looking to the holojudges calmly. He pictured Wes' smile, warm and understanding_. "I love you, Alex. And I am very, **very** proud, to call you my son."

_"Please state your full name and occupation for the court," the center judge commanded._

Wes knows me, and he loves me.

_He firmed his chin. "Alexander Collins, civilian historical consultant for the Newtech City Library, and Time Force Red Ranger."_ --

-- _"You can call me Nova, since I'm technically not supposed to tell you my name," she informed them. The smirk turned into a grin. "The commander would kill me."_

_"You ... " Sky stared at her. "You looked just like Eric."_

_She giggled. "Yeah, I get that a lot," she admitted, tossing her hair._ --

-- _You already own most of the board anyway. Why are we still playing?"_

_"Because it was Time's night to chose, and it's better than Dungeons and Dragons," Tori replied._

_"There's nothing wrong with Dungeons and Dragons!" Chip objected, pouting._

_"I thought it was fun," Dax agreed, frowning in confusion._

_Tori snorted. "I rest my case."_

_There was a pause._

_"Hey!"_ --

-- _He wrenched the other man over, hauling him up and onto the ground. A pale face with glazed eyes gazed up at him blankly. "No!" he shouted desperately, frantically pushing down on his chest before trying to feel for a pulse. "Come on! Dax, come on!"_

_"No!"_

_His head snapped up at the horrified scream to see Blue Wind frozen directly across from him. She stumbled toward them, reaching out for their fallen teammate. "Dax?" she whispered._

_"Tori! Move!"_

_"I never lost to Lothor, and I'll never lose to a monster like you."_

_"Tori, run! What are you doing?! Get out of here!"_

_"Power of Water!"_

_"Oh, that's priceless. You think you can destroy me with *water*?"_

_"Watch me!"_

_"Tori no!"_

_"__**No**__!"_ --


	34. Exemptions

Alex is incredibly OOC in this chapter, but I think it's acceptable in this situation. Despite that, I actually like this chapter. Or at least I don't hate it enough to want it to die a swift and painful death. So, progress.

Chapter 34:Exemptions

"Dax! Tori! **No**!"

Hands grabbed his shirt, pulling up and yanking him close. "I've got you," a voice murmured in his ear. "Easy, Alex. I've got you. I'm here."

He sobbed, clinging tightly to the back of the other man's shirt. His mind spun, trying to absorb the sudden flow of twenty-six years worth of memories. Dax and Tori ... the Dino Thunder Rangers ... Joel, Chad, and Kelsey ... Sky and Eric nearly with them, so many times.

**Him** too many times.

-- _"They're beautiful," he breathed, tracing the tip of his finger down the nose of the baby in his arms. His son wrinkled his nose, and dark eyes peeked open to glare up at him._

_He grinned back, feeling like he was walking on a cloud. "He has your eyes, Eric. They both do."_

_"Let's hope they don't act like me," Eric retorted as he beamed down at the other twin he held._

_He laughed. "I'm quoting you on that, just so you know. Years down the road, I'm going to remember this moment, and remind you that you __**didn't**__ want our boys to be just like you."_

_"Sure you will, Wes. Sure you will."_ --

Wes was his father.

Wes and Eric were his **parents**. He wasn't made - at least, not in the way he thought he'd been. He had people who wanted him, who loved him, who'd grieved when they lost him and thought about how he was doing. Grieved for Ben before he was even gone, because they didn't - couldn't - know, that he was okay.

He had two little brothers. More on the way. He had a **family** he'd never even met.

It was terrible, frightening, and wonderful, all at once.

But all he cared about at that moment was that Wes - he was still Alex, right? - his **father**, was holding onto him. Holding him like he'd never let go.

Like no one had **ever** held on to him.

Like no one but Jen, and Trip.

He buried his face against Wes' shoulder and failed to keep in another sob. He didn't know if he was still crying for the friends he'd - **Wes** - had lost, the family he never knew, or something else. He wasn't sure that it even mattered.

A hand ran over his hair, an arm squeezing him again. "Shh ... " Wes murmured in his ear. "It's all right, Alex. I've got you. I'm here."

He laughed a little through his tears, because he was twenty-three years old, and his father - his **father**, and that would never get old - was comforting him like he was a child. Even more amusing, he actually felt better for hearing it. Was that another one of those things that was unique to Wes being ... Wes? Or was it because it was his father saying it?

His father.

He smiled, resting his forehead against Wes' shoulder. Should he call him 'Dad' now? Would it be weird? Did it even matter?

It did, he decided. It made all the difference in the world.

Because he had a father.

Wes seemed to notice the flood of tears had finally stopped, as he had settled for rubbing his back soothingly. His head turned slightly from where it rested on Alex's shoulder, and Alex felt something touch his temple.

Was he just ... Did Wes just **kiss** him?

He wasn't sure if he should be disgusted, pleased, or just confused.

He settled with confused for now.

He pulled back a little, just enough to finally look Wes in the face. Now that they were close enough to one another again, he could see the light wrinkles lining Wes' eyes and mouth, and the gray peppering his hair. Wes was ... He searched his new memories. Forty-eight now? He looked it.

Wes frowned at him. "You'd better not be thinking what I think you're thinking," he warned.

The corner of Alex's mouth twitched. "What's that?"

"I've **earned** every one of these gray hairs you know," Wes informed him irritably, but his eyes sparkled as much as they had when he was only twenty-two. He frowned in thought. "And now that I think about it, your brother gave me most of them."

Alex couldn't help it. He threw back his head and laughed.

He brushed at his eyes when the chuckles finally died down, glancing up to find Wes watching him with open affection. He flushed slightly at the attention and frowned. "What is it?"

Wes shook his head. "Nothing," he promised, but his smile said otherwise.

"Are you with us now, Mr. Collins?" one of the judges asked dryly.

Alex blinked, abruptly remembering where he was. He flushed again, and silently hoped it didn't show. Instinctively he slid into parade rest. "I apologize, your honor."

"I **told** you this was a bad idea," Wes snapped, glaring up at the three holojudges. "The last time this happened, we were the same age. It's been months for Alex since he last saw me. I have twenty-six **years** of memories for him to catch up on!"

"So you **have** exchanged memories then?" the left judge asked, looking curious.

Wes glared. "If you mean did I just find out that my sons have been having secret comm calls in the middle of the night, then yes. And Sky is **so** grounded again," he muttered.

Alex frowned. "Isn't Sky eighteen years old?"

Wes glanced back at him. "Yeah. And?"

He shook his head, trying not to smile. "Nevermind."

"And you, Mr. Collins?" the center judge persisted. "You now have memories of Sergeant Commander Collin's life of which you were previously unaware?"

Alex blinked for a moment, his eyes glazing slightly as he tried to sort through the new overload of information in his head. "Yes," he said finally. "Wesley Collins ... is my father." He blinked for a moment. "I was born April 20th, 2008. My brother was born four hours later, on April 21st." He frowned deeper as more memories came to his attention. The significance of a Christmas where he couldn't even see the light strings he was untangling suddenly became clear, and Alex's eyes went wide. "You were - " He turned to stare at Wes in horror. "You were in a coma for four years. Mirloc nearly destroyed you. If it wasn't for your morpher, you would have ... And when you woke up .... "

For some reason, he couldn't make himself say it. Silently, he finished _You were blind. Wes ..._

Wes visibly swallowed and forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I got better," he offered.

Alex hit him.

For some reason, the move made Wes laugh and throw an arm around Alex's shoulders, squeezing gently. His smile was warm. "You are definitely Eric's son," he informed him quietly.

Alex blinked, and a slow smile spread across his face. For the first time, the comparison felt like a compliment.

At last the center judge cleared his throat. "Thank you for your assistance in this case, Sergeant Commander Collins. Your testimony will be taken into consideration for our final decision. In the meantime, the bailiff will escort you for memory adaptation, so that you may be returned to your proper point in the timeline without - "

"Oh, no," Wes cut in, eyes narrowing. "I'm not going anywhere until I see this man brought to justice," he insisted, pointing at Blakemore. "He ruined my life. He **tortured** my children. I'm not leaving until I see him sentenced."

The judge's eyes narrowed. "I'm afraid that would be quite impossible. We cannot allow someone from the past to possess knowledge of the future."

"Your honor."

Alex turned to look at Jen when she spoke, and felt Wes tense beside him. "Jen ... " Wes murmured.

"Sergeant Commander Collins is a Time Force Ranger, sir," Jen reminded them, standing at attention. "He has always possessed knowledge of the future. As set down by the guidelines within the new Time Force, he is exempt from the normal Time Force judgment." She paused. "As such, if he were to remain in the present for the duration of the trial, he would be placed under the protection of myself and the other Rangers."

It was a struggle for Alex to fight a smile. _Jennifer, you're brilliant_. "Your honor, I would also like to point out that Sergeant Commander Collins would be able to provide much information on the past. As civilian consultant for Newtech City Library, there is a great deal I could input to the archives pending time to interview him."

Wes raised his eyebrows at him as the judges seemed to confer again. He didn't say anything, but his expression clearly read 'Are you kidding me?'

Alex kept his eyes on the holojudges. He could explain later. Later, when they had a chance to **really** talk.

This court had already seen too much.

At last, the center judge nodded, looking annoyed. "As Captain Scotts is correct in her assessment of the laws within Time Force regarding Power Rangers, it is the decision of this court to release Sergeant Commander Collins to the Time Force Rangers for the duration of this trial."

Alex could see Wes fighting a grin. Silently he prayed that this wouldn't blow up in their -

_Ben_, he realized in growing horror. _Wes will finally meet Ben._

Ben, who hated everything in his life except his brother and his brother's friends. Ben, who was only a member of Time Force through the morpher he wore. A morpher which **could** be given away.

Ben, who would finally have a chance to know the family he'd never had.

Gripping his wrist behind his back to keep from visibly trembling, Alex swallowed hard as a cold feeling settled over him.


	35. Coming Apart

I'm hoping this chapter comes across as being emotionally charged without being ... **too** emotionally charged, if that makes any sense? I don't want it to be OOC, but there's a lot going on for Alex right now, and I thought he deserved some father/son bonding time, with a slight emotional breakdown in the process.

Well, that or the muses did. -Eyes them-

Love to phantom_blue for beta!

Chapter 35: Coming Apart

The silence lingered all the way to the parking lot, where everyone but Wes, Ben, and Alex piled into Lucas' car. Alex shook his head at Jen's frown, nodding to the taxi port. She sighed, but nodded in agreement. He flashed her the faintest of smiles, and went to hail a cab. Wes followed him without so much as a second thought, Ben trailing behind uncertainly.

The cab ride was silent as well, Wes too busy staring out the window and taking everything in as he absently pet the dog sitting at his feet. Ben was staring at Wes and trying to pretend he wasn't, while Wes was trying to pretend he hadn't noticed. Alex kept his eyes straight ahead, taking advantage of the time to center his breathing and wall off his emotions.

He could not, **would not** fall apart again.

The cab stopped at the address he'd given it, and a soft chirp informed him that the fare had been deducted from his account. "Have a pleasant day," the autodriver intoned, lights flashing as the doors opened.

"Whoa ... " Wes breathed as they climbed out. "Where are we?"

"Housing Zone Three. You'd call it the suburbs," Alex answered him, shooting Ben a look when he stayed still for too long. He glanced at the driveway. "Looks like the others beat us home."

"You guys live here?" Wes sounded awed.

Alex nodded. "When I quit Time Force, I was forced to give up my apartment in staff housing. Jen disliked the idea of us living too far away from the others, and Katie suggested sharing a single home." He paused at the door, shrugging a little. "They found this place before I had much of a chance to object."

The look Wes gave him was amused. "Uh huh."

He ignored the knowing smile, pressing his palm to the print lock and heading inside.

"Wes!"

He barely had time to move out of the way before Katie and Trip ambushed Wes, fighting each other for the chance to be the first to touch him. Wes laughed, wrapping an arm around each of them and hugging tight. "Man, I missed you guys," he murmured.

"We missed you too, Wes," Trip put in eagerly.

"I can't believe this!" Katie gushed, finally releasing him as she stepped back to get a better look. "I mean ... I never ... "

"I told you I'd see you guys again," Wes told her with a warm grin. "Maybe next time you'll believe me."

The dog barked, wagging its tail so hard its entire body seemed to shake.

For some reason that made Wes laugh again, reaching down to scratch behind its ear. "I know, girl. I know," he said fondly, patting her side. He turned to Lucas as his smile widened again, drawing the other man into a one-armed hug. "Still got a thing for those blue convertibles, I see," he teased.

"I know a classic when I see one," Lucas returned with a smirk, squeezing back.

Then he was stepping back again to look at Jen, and the smile on his face seemed to soften even more. "Jen ... "

Jen's smile was watery. "Wes - " she choked out. And then they were in each other's arms, holding on like they'd never let go.

Alex looked away, feeling uncomfortable for reasons he couldn't explain. He knew that Wes was happy with Eric, that he didn't feel that way about Jen anymore. He knew Jen didn't feel that way about Wes. But something about the way they all greeted him still stung.

"So ... Jen?"

He glanced back to see Jen had moved back just enough to look Wes in the face, raising her eyebrows pointedly.

Wes chuckled. "Sky insisted that we should name her after my best friend, since dogs are man's best friend," he explained. His snickered quietly. "Eric and Vanessa refused to be nominated, so you won by default."

The dog barked again, and he reached back to give it another pat.

"She's very devoted to you," Lucas observed.

Wes' smile faded slightly, turning lopsided. "I had to depend on her a lot for a long time," he said quietly, amusement gone now as he crouched down beside the dog, ruffling its ears as it panted happily, tail wagging. "She kept me going for awhile when not much else would. She's pretty sensitive to my moods now."

He looked up and seemed to freeze. There was a moment of silence, and at last he swallowed hard. "Hi, Ben," he said softly.

Alex glanced at his brother. Ben had gone still, staring blankly at Wes. His expression was closed off, but Alex could read the fear and nervousness in the way he tensed up. "Hi," Ben whispered back.

Wes stood up slowly, coming to a stop several feet away from Ben. He didn't come any closer than that, and he kept his hands at his sides even as his eyes swept over every line of Ben's face. Eventually he smiled. "You look just like your father," he said gently.

Ben blinked at him. "Everyone says I look like you."

"I could see that," Wes agreed, still smiling. "But you have that Myers jawline. It's pretty hard to miss."

Ben shifted slightly, swallowing. "So ... it's true?" he asked finally, his voice barely audible. "I mean ... you really are ... my father?"

Wes nodded. "I am, Ben. You're really my son."

More shifting, and Ben blinked rapidly. "Wow," he managed.

Wes hesitated, biting his lip. Distantly Alex wondered when he'd gotten that habit: it wasn't one he remembered. "Is it all right if I touch you?" he asked quietly.

Ben seemed to tense up for a moment before forcing a stiff nod.

For several moments they just seemed to stare at one another as everyone watched them. Then slowly, hesitantly, Wes moved forward to place a hand on Ben's arm. They looked at each other, and Wes offered a warm smile.

It was all it took for Ben to break. Faster than anyone could follow, he'd thrown himself at Wes, clinging desperately to him. Wes caught him just as tightly, bowing his head and closing his eyes as tears sparkled on his cheeks. There was a muffled sob from somewhere around his shoulder, where Ben's head was buried.

Alex turned and walked out.

* * *

"Well, this seems safe."

Alex managed to keep his start of surprise to a minimum, which was good considering the position he was in. He glanced over at Wes as the other man made his way over to him. "What are you doing up here?"

"Looking for you," Wes returned cheerfully as he carefully laid down beside him on the roof. "Why else would I be dumb enough to risk my neck in a place like this?"

Alex gave him a dirty look. "Thanks."

Wes shrugged, unconcerned. "Personally I find my life in danger often enough that I don't need to find the most out the way places to possibly get myself hurt or worse. But that's me." He glanced over at Alex. "Apparently that's not you."

Alex sighed, closing his eyes for a moment as he fought to control his temper.

"Sorry."

The apology was so unexpected he turned to blink at Wes. "What?"

"I guess I forgot just how bad a day this has been for you." Wes looked slightly guilty. "And I'm not really making it any better by being here, am I?"

Alex stared at him. He started to say something, stopped, and started again. After another minute he shook his head. "I don't know anymore," he muttered. "You are ... but you're not."

"Story of my life," Wes said wryly. "I'm either wanted or I'm not."

"I never said I didn't want you around," Alex snapped. He immediately wished he hadn't.

Wes glanced over at him again. "You didn't have to," he said simply.

Alex pinched his nose. "I - "

He stopped again when he realized Wes was chuckling. "What?" he demanded irritably. "What's so funny?"

Wes shook his head, but he was still smiling. "Sorry," he apologized again. "It's just ... you do the nose thing. I never noticed that."

"What nose thing?" he asked irritably.

"When you're frustrated, you pinch the bridge of your nose," Wes explained. "Eric does that." He looked amused. "Well, I do it too, but that's because I picked it up from him. I never realized it was genetic."

Alex stared at him for a long moment. At last he shook his head and looked away. No matter how many of his memories he had, he would never, ever, understand Wes.

"Hey." The hand that settled on his shoulder was gentle, but he tensed anyway. It didn't move. "Talk to me."

"About what?" he asked, sounding more bitter than he'd intended.

The hand squeezed. "Well, you're starting to sound like Eric, which is the first way I know something is wrong. Even if I didn't already know, that's a huge giveaway."

"Do I always remind you of Eric?" he demanded. "Because you seem to say that a lot."

"You do, actually." Wes sounded thoughtful, not seeming the least bit offended at the way he snapped at him. "You're a lot more like him than you think. I really don't get why people think you're like me at all."

"I wear Red and we share a face. That's all they need to know," Alex returned dryly.

A hand bopped him gently on the back of the head. "Stop it," Wes reprimanded lightly. "You're not me, Alex. And no matter what anyone's tried to tell you, you're not my replacement, either. You never were."

He stared at him, unsure if he was more shocked by Wes' words, or the fact that he'd actually hit him. "Did any of those memories I gave you have my life in it?" he asked sharply. "Because obviously you're not seeing the same life I am."

The look Wes shot him was pained. "Alex - "

He shook his head. "No. You can't sit there and tell me I'm not your replacement. Maybe that's not what I was born as, but it's what I've become."

"You are not." Now Wes' voice was dangerously sharp. "I don't care what he filled your head with, Alex. I don't care what any of them told you. I love you for being **you**. So do the Rangers. So does your brother. **Both** your brothers," he corrected himself.

"Sky barely knows me."

"After almost a year of talking to each other every weekend, I highly doubt that," Wes retorted.

"I spend most of my time asking about **him**!"

"And Sky is one of the most observant people I've ever known. He probably knows more about you than you realize."

Alex shook his head. "This is pointless."

"You're right," Wes agreed to his surprise. "Because you're not listening to a word I say."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes I am."

"No, you're not. You're hearing me, but you're not **listening**." Hands caught his face, gently but firmly forcing him to meet Wes' eyes as he tried to pull away. "Alex. I am not taking the Rangers away from you. I'm not taking Ben away from you." Blue eyes burned into his, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't look the other way. "And you may not **want** me here, but I'm not going home until I see that man punished for what he did to my boys. Because you **are** my boys. Even if he raised you, even if ... even if I never got to know you before you were already too old for me to do the things I wanted to with you, you're still my son. No matter how hard you try and tell me you're not, you **are**. Because I love you, and I've wanted to be part of your life even when I knew I couldn't. Even before I knew who you really were." Wes' thumb stroked his cheek. "You can sit there and brood all you want, and think about how you wish I wasn't here all you want, but I'm not going home yet. And it's not going to make me stop worrying about you. It's not going to make me go away. And avoiding the guys is only going to make things worse when Jen finally gets a hold of you."

Alex blinked. After a moment, he swallowed hard. "They're all I have," he whispered. His voice cracked, and he hated himself for it.

Wes' expression softened. "I know, buddy," he murmured, leaning forward to rest his head against Alex's. It seemed odd, but reassuring at the same time, and Alex couldn't find the will to move. "And they're not going anywhere. Believe it or not, you're pretty easy to love once you let people in. And those are four of the most loyal people I've ever met. They're not going to forget about you."

He closed his eyes. "Ben will want to go with you."

"And leave you? I don't think so. He might want to come with me long enough to meet Eric and Sky, but he'd never leave you forever. He needs you too much. Ben depends on you, Alex. Even I can see that, and I only know him through you. He needs you just as much as you need him."

_No, he doesn't_, he thought dully. _No one ever needs me as much as I need them._

He heard Wes let out a long sigh, and he was being carefully pulled forward, drawn down again. An arm wrapped around him, another hand coming up to tangle itself in his hair. After a moment, he realized he could faintly hear Wes' heart beating. "Today really messed with your head, didn't it?" Wes murmured.

He didn't bother dignifying that with a response.

"You were right, you know," Wes added quietly, almost thoughtfully. "I do love you. And I'm so proud of you."

Alex swallowed hard. His eyes felt wet.

Wes' arm tightened around him. "I'm proud of you for today," he whispered, and Alex felt something press against his hair. "I'm proud of you for standing up to him, and for telling the truth. I know how much it cost you."

"Do you?" He was barely aware that he'd managed to get out the words.

More pressure against his head, and this time he was sure he'd been kissed again. "You love him," Wes answered simply.

He closed his eyes, and now he couldn't stop the tears. "I'm sorry," he choked.

"No, Alex." The arms tightened again, until he was so close he was nearly on top of Wes. "Don't be sorry," he murmured. "Don't ever be sorry. Not for this. You didn't do anything wrong."

A sob escaped before he could stop it, harsh enough to hurt. Wes made soothing noises, rubbing his back like he was a child and rocking him back and forth slowly. It should have been degrading.

It wasn't.

"He never ... he never did ... anything like this," he muttered through his tears.

"Shh ... You'll make me hate him even more," Wes murmured back. "I wasn't sure that was even possible."

He laughed a little, and Wes' hand rubbed his back again.

"I mean it," Wes continued softly, never stopping the gentle rocking. "If he's going to be taking my place, he'd better be treating my boys right."

"No one could ever take your place," Alex mumbled, and it was true. "Even ... even if I thought he was our ... you. He wasn't. He could never be you."

Wes squeezed him again, and this time the kiss was to his forehead. "I love you, Alex."

He closed his eyes, because if he didn't say it now he never would. "I love you, too. ... Dad."


	36. Wants

The more chances I give Alex to know his relatives, the more cuddly he seems to become. I've always known the boy was affection starved, but this is getting ridiculous. -Frowns at him- I'm sort of afraid of what he'll do next.

But at the same time, it's so damn adorable I don't care.

Chapter 36:Wants

Alex wandered wearily into the kitchen and paused, blinking for several moments. It took a good minute before he finally placed what was wrong, turning around to stare at the dining room table. And it was several more minutes later before he finally realized **why** that was wrong.

Wes grinned at him over his coffee cup. "Not a morning person?" he teased.

He grunted the closest thing he could manage to an affirmative, even though it wasn't quite true.

"I made a full pot," Wes offered, pointing to the coffee pot.

Alex made his way to it like a man drowning.

It was a good twenty minutes after getting his coffee and joining Wes at the table before he was coherent enough to manage conversation. "You sleep all right?"

Wes shrugged, smiling. "As well as can be expected."

He shook his head when Alex frowned at him. "The couch was fine. Very comfortable. I'm just not used to this place," he explained. He shrugged again, and this time his smile was rueful. "Not used to sleeping alone, either."

Alex made a face, because that was one of those things he was fairly certain he hadn't needed to know about his parents.

Wes laughed at him. "That's not what I meant," he protested, but the smile on his face made it hard to believe.

Alex raised his eyebrows at him pointedly.

Wes snickered again. "Yes, Eric and I share a bed. But we also share with Jen, and sometimes Sheep. It's weird being actually able to roll over and not worry about crushing somebody."

He frowned, trying to ignore how odd that statement sounded. "Sheep? That's ... Sky's cat, right?"

"He's supposed to be Eric's, actually," Wes said with a chuckle. "But Sky sort of stole him. We've been talking about getting another cat for Eric to make up for it, but Sky won't promise not to steal that one, too."

"He does love animals," Alex mused, taking a long sip of his coffee.

"You should have seen him the first time he helped R.J. out at the animal shelter." Wes shook his head, his smile fond. "That kid was in heaven."

"You two are up early."

They both glanced up at Jen as she wandered past, still in her morning workout clothes. "I always wake up at this time," Alex reminded her.

"I meant you're **conscious** early," she retorted, but she smiled when she said it.

"I've been up for awhile, actually," Wes spoke up. "Hazards of having a dog and working for S.P.D." He grinned ruefully. "We uh, had to borrow your backyard, since I don't know where the park is. Sorry about that."

Jen waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine." She eyed him over her own coffee mug. "I'm just surprised to see you already up and about. It's not the way I remember you."

Wes' smile faded a little, and he shrugged. "People change in twenty-seven years."

"Good morning, everybody!" Katie called cheerfully. "Who's hungry?"

"Do we have time for cooking?" Alex asked with a frown.

"There's always time for a good meal," Katie returned, already turning to the stove.

Wes grinned faintly. "Morning, Katie. Thanks, but sorry - Jen and I already attacked the synthetron." He paused, and winced. "Uh, Dog Jen. Not Human Jen."

"That's gonna be confusing," Trip remarked as he wandered in, Lucas trailing behind him.

Wes shrugged, giving the human Jen an apologetic look. "Sorry. But it's been her name all her life. It's all she knows."

"I can relate," Jen returned dryly, and Trip and Katie snickered.

Alex frowned as he looked past them into the hallway. "Isn't Ben up yet?"

"He hasn't been downstairs yet if he is," Trip offered.

"I didn't hear him when I was exercising," Jen told him.

He sighed and got up. "I don't care what excuse he's got today, he's **going** to school," he grumbled.

"Come on, Alex. Have a heart," Wes coaxed. "It's not every day you get to meet your dad from nine hundred and seventy-three years ago."

Alex scowled at him. "Stop trying to corrupt my little brother," he warned.

Wes just grinned back.

Trip was frowning, his head tilted in thought. "You're from 2029, Wes?" Alex heard him ask as he headed for the stairs.

He paused just before the door of the room he and Ben shared, knocking quietly, but loud enough for Ben to hear him. Ben didn't like surprises, especially when they involved the invasion of his space. "Benji?" he called quietly, opening the door slowly. "It's me."

The room was mostly dark when he opened it, which immediately set him on edge. The only light came from the small lamp they kept on the nightstand beside Ben's bed. He surveyed the room quickly for signs of a threat before at last settling back on the bed in the corner, and the lump of red and black blankets.

He sighed, flicking on first the wall light, then the lamp in the opposite corner. When he moved to sit on the edge of the bed, he wasn't surprised to notice the lump was shaking. "Benji, why do you do this to yourself?" he murmured, reaching out to rub what he judged to be Ben's shoulder.

"M' sixteen," came the muffled response. "Not s'posed t' be 'fraid of the dark."

Alex closed his eyes briefly. "You're not sixteen," he reminded him quietly. "You should be thirteen."

Ben didn't answer.

He sighed. "He's not going to care, Benji."

The lump stiffened. "That's not why I'm doing it."

"Really."

The blankets slipped down enough to reveal a single, glaring blue eye. It was slightly watery, but he pretended not to notice. "It's not fair!" Ben burst out.

He reached out again, running a hand over his brother's hair. The thought that Wes had done the same for him only last night occurred to him, but he pushed it away. "Which part isn't fair now?"

Ben crumpled slightly at the acknowledgement that there was more than one thing for him to be angry over. "You," he muttered finally. "And him. You already know him. I don't ... I don't know anything."

"You're right," he agreed. "It's not fair."

The blankets moved enough for Ben to scowl up at him. "Stop being so nice!" he demanded. "I can't be mad at you when you're being reasonable!"

It was hard not to smile. "But you're right," he reminded him. "None of this is fair. Any of it. Him being here. The way I know him so well - the reasons I do." He paused, brushing Ben's bangs back from his face. He hesitated, finally forcing himself to say it. "The fact that he knows **me** well enough to tell me last night that he wasn't going to take you away from me."

Ben gave him a weird look. "Why would you think he would?"

He sighed again, looking away. After a minute he shrugged. "You don't have to stay here, Ben. In this time. You don't know anyone but me and the Rangers, and I know ... I know it's been hard for you. You can give your morpher to someone else if you really want to."

"Now you're just being stupid," Ben said flatly, blankets falling in his lap as he sat up. He put a hand on Alex's shoulder, shoving him roughly. "**You're **here, aren't you?"

"What else is keeping you here?" he pointed out. "If you ... if you went back to 2029, with Wes, you could start over. You'd have a whole family. No one would know who you are or about where you grew up. You'd just be Wes and Eric's son."

There was a long pause.

"Are we talking about me or you now?" Ben asked.

He closed his eyes, burying his head in his hands. "I don't know," he muttered. "I ... know I can't, but ... But sometimes I wonder ... what if I did?"

"So why can't you?"

He lifted his left wrist wordlessly.

"Your morpher?" Ben guessed.

He shrugged and nodded. That was more or less what he meant. It was the source of most of his problems, anyway.

"That's a stupid reason," Ben decided.

Alex sighed. "Benji - "

"It is!" Ben interrupted, sounding irritated now. "That piece of techno-junk has done nothing but make you suffer. Make **us** suffer. Why should it keep you here?"

"Because ... " He swallowed, feeling his eyes burn. "Because I'm the only one who - "

Then he stopped, shaking his head. Because that wasn't the real reason he stayed, no matter how much he pretended it was. There was only one reason.

Well, four.

"Jen," he said finally. "Trip. Lucas and Katie. They keep me here."

Ben leaned against him, resting his head on his shoulder. "That's funny. They keep me here, too," he remarked.

Alex smiled a little. "So does that mean you finally like them?"

"Do I get a choice?"

He chuckled, remembering the last time Ben had asked him that. "No. Not really."

"Figures."

Alex tilted his head against his brother's with a sigh. "You really don't want to go to school today, do you?"

"A, I **never** want to go to school. I'd rather be home schooled, but you won't listen."

"You've never had the chance to be a normal kid, Benji. You deserve that."

Ben huffed. "A, I'm not **you**. Maybe that's what you wanted. But I **like** spending my time at Ranger Tower and hanging around home. I like knowing where you guys are if I need you or you need me. I like ... " He hesitated.

Alex nudged him gently. "You like what, Benji?"

Ben sighed. "I like being a Ranger, A," he confessed softly. "I know you hate it. And I know why ... but I don't. I think ... I think maybe ... even if things were different? This is what I would have always wanted to be."

A cold feeling had settled over Alex, and he tried not to shudder. "You want to join Time Force," he whispered.

"No!" Ben insisted quickly. Then he paused. "Well, not ... **our** Time Force. But ... Jen's Time Force, maybe." He shifted slightly, and Alex could see him peering up at him out of the corner of his eye. "I want to work with the Rangers, A. I want to help protect people."

This time, he did shudder.

"Let me think about it for awhile, Benji," he murmured finally. "Please? I ... I understand. I think. I just ... "

Ben's arm wrapped around his waist, and he cuddled closer. "Thanks, A," he mumbled.

And that was all they needed to say, really.

He wasn't sure how long they sat like that, leaning on each other, before he heard a soft knock on the door. He glanced up and saw Wes leaning on the frame, watching them together with a soft expression. "Hey ... " he said softly. "Sorry to interrupt, but Jen's complaining that we're either going to be late to school or court, and Katie won't let anybody leave until they've eaten."

"Sounds about right," Alex muttered. He glanced at Ben and sighed. "All right. You don't have to go to school today."

Ben whooped and threw his arms around him, tackling him back onto the bed. "You're the best, A!"

"Benji, you're heavy!" he groaned, even though he wasn't.

He could hear Wes laughing from the doorway, and for a single moment, everything was perfect.


	37. Missed Time

Fitting BroodyBrightSkiesWes into the Time Force group is a lot harder than I expected it would be. -Glares and kicks him- He's all awkward and ... non-cooperative. So I don't necessarily like this chapter all that much, but I can't seem to write it any other way. .

Chapter 37:Missed Time

"So there's no lawyers," Wes murmured beside him as they waited for the trial to begin.

"Lawyers were removed from the judicial system when it was updated in 2562," Alex explained quietly. "The courtroom is open only to those with influence in society or directly involved in the trial. They're allowed to ask questions of the witness' testimony directly."

"My brother is such a geek," Ben muttered on his other side.

Alex bopped him upside the head without thinking, only marginally surprised when Wes leaned across him to do the same.

Ben stared at them both, scandalized.

"That was for Sky, too," Wes informed him. "Don't pick on your brothers."

Further down, Alex heard Katie snicker as he fought down a smile. _Don't pick on your brothers._ For some reason, the words left him with a warm feeling.

The intercom chimed. "_Day three of The People versus Jonathan Blakemore will commence immediately. All participants will please take their seats._"

For the first time, Alex would have found the trial boring if not for one thing: Wes.

The Wes he'd met last had trouble sitting still for long periods of time, and constantly fidgeted in his seat when he had to. His attention would wander if he wasn't completely interested in the topic at hand, and while he'd look guilty if he was caught, he'd never admit to daydreaming. It wasn't that he didn't **want** to be part of what was going on, so much as he just couldn't focus on it.

The Wes sitting beside him today paid rapt attention to the proceedings. His eyes took in every detail, except for the moments when he would suddenly stop to close his eyes, listening almost more intently than he'd been watching. When something in the witness' testimony caught his attention, he would sit up straighter, his eyes narrowing as he waited patiently for some silent signal. Than at the oddest moment, he would key a request to speak, standing up to ask a single question that would drive holes in at least half the witness' statements.

Needless to say, getting Wes out of the room for their lunch break was harder than it should have been. Reporters were everywhere, eager to get a moment with the legendary Red Time Force Ranger. Wes was surprisingly unphased by the attention, keeping his head down and letting the others surround him without complaint.

"Let's bring lunch up to Ranger Tower," Katie suggested. "It's quiet up there."

'Quiet' was code for 'we can talk in private'.

Wes smiled, shaking his head as he turned away from yet another reporter trying to catch his eye. "Quiet, huh?" he murmured as Lucas stepped in closer, preventing the reporter from approaching him. "Do we have to eat in The Closet?"

Jen chuckled. "Not anymore," she promised him.

The elevator ride up to Ranger Tower was silent. Wes had a distant look in his eyes as he petted his dog absently, something Alex had noticed he did often. Then Ben was leaning into his side, trying to steal something from his lunch container, and he was forced to turn away from Wes long enough to defend his meal.

There was a brief moment where he'd wondered if they needed to use the guest code for the computer, but Wes had already moved to send the recognition code on his own morpher. The computer let out a happy chirp, letting them pass without complaint.

Ben gave Wes an odd look as they each grabbed a place at the meeting table. "Shouldn't that have sent a warning into the system? I mean, with two Red Chrono Morphers?"

"Not really," Wes said absently as Trip opened his mouth to answer. "It's essentially the same morpher, just newer. It's either acknowledging both of us, or it thinks Alex accidentally sent the code twice."

Trip blinked at him, looking surprised. "That's right," he agreed. "How'd you know that, Wes?"

Wes blinked back, finally offering a shrug and a self-deprecating smile. "Two of my best friends are Techs. I learned a long time ago it's a good idea to pay attention to what they're saying."

"Techs?" Lucas echoed, frowning.

"Technology Department at S.P.D. Earth. We call them Techs," he explained, slipping a piece of meat out of his lunch and holding it out to the dog. He smiled when she took it from his fingers with surprising care, patting her head. "Well, technically Turbo's ... something between Technology and Vehicle Design."

"What department are you in?" Trip asked curiously. He paused to arrange his sandwich, rubbing his hands together gleefully before he reached for it.

"I'm a Drill Sergeant for Ranger Squad - Training Department," Wes answered, holding out another piece of food for the dog to take. "I used to be H Squad, but after Grumm everyone kept insisting I'd taken over B Squad, and well, it wasn't fair to keep B Squad and A Squad separated any more after that."

"And Sky is Ranger Squad ... right?" Katie asked tentatively.

"That's right," he confirmed with a nod, looking proud. "B Squad Blue."

They ate lunch quietly for awhile, Wes alternating between eating and feeding his dog, while everyone else watched him and tried to pretend they weren't. From what Alex could tell, Wes was perfectly aware of the attention; he just chose not to acknowledge it. He was used to being stared at now, after all.

"Alex said ... " Jen's voice was hesitant as she finally broke the silence. "You were ... in a coma?"

Wes paused.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, seeming to realize how uncomfortable she'd made him. "It's just ... there's so much we've missed."

"That's true," he agreed slowly, staring down at his plate. "It's ... "

"You don't have to talk about it."

Alex was barely aware he'd spoken until he realized everyone was staring at him in surprise. He frowned back at them, his hand tightening slightly around his fork.

Wes looked up at him, his expression softening, and smiled a little. "It's okay, Alex. I don't mind."

"Yes, you do," he snapped back, feeling defensive for reasons he couldn't explain.

Wes sighed, shaking his head ruefully. "Okay, I mind **talking** about it, but I don't mind being asked." He hesitated. "It's ... it's not a question of not wanting you to know. It's just ... That was a very ... difficult time," he explained carefully.

"Then you don't have to tell us," Jen promised him gently, reaching out to squeeze his hand with a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry I asked."

Trip looked slightly crestfallen, and Alex kicked him lightly under the table with a warning look.

Wes stared at his lunch again, and something clenched in Alex's stomach at his expression. When he smiled, there was no happiness in it. "How do you sum up your life?" he asked quietly. He leaned back in his chair to stare up the ceiling as one hand drifted down to pet his dog again. At last he let out a slow sigh. "It's not that I don't want to tell you. I just don't know how anymore," he admitted. Almost unconsciously he began to rub his wedding ring with his thumb, staring at it as he continued to stroke the dog's back.

"You're married?" Ben burst out, staring at his hand.

Wes looked up, seeming startled, then smiled faintly. "Yes," he answered, and this time his voice was full of affection. "Just over three months now." The smile turned wistful as he stared down at his ring again.

Alex winced. Three months and a week of marriage and Wes was kidnapped by Time Force. And Grumm had only been gone for barely two months. No wonder Eric always insisted Wes was a trouble magnet.

"It's not fair," Ben spoke up suddenly. His sounded sulky and irritated as stared at the table.

Wes looked up at him, tilting his head. "What isn't fair?" he asked, and his voice seemed even softer then before.

"Alex already knows everything about you," Ben complained, and now he was visibly pouting. "He doesn't even have to ask anything. He just ... **knows**."

"You're right, it isn't fair." Wes agreed, looking sympathetic. "And it's not fair that I already know about **you**, because Alex told me."

Ben looked up sharply, his eyes widening. "He did?" he asked warily.

Wes gave him a lopsided smile, tilting his left wrist so they could all see his morpher. "More or less."

Ben considered Wes for a long moment. "Do you hate it, too?" he asked abruptly.

Wes was quiet. His eyes landed on his morpher. "Sometimes," he said finally. "But more for you two than for me."

Ben frowned. "Why not for you?" he wanted to know.

Wes hesitated for briefly, slowly lifting his hand from the dog that had somehow managed to work its way halfway into his lap, and pressing a key on his morpher. An image popped up above it.

Alex leaned in slightly closer to see just as everyone else did, trying to remember from his scattered memories what it was exactly that Wes was showing them.

The holopicture was of six people, one of which included Wes. They were all huddled together, shoving and looking irritated at the lack of space. Eric was half underneath a haughty-looking blond woman, who had her arm around the only other woman in the picture as they both looked smug. Wes was laughing, leaning on Eric with one arm around a younger man at his side, while the final man had perched on Wes' back with an arm around his neck.

The Newtech Rangers, Alex realized. The current team. The one that had formed since Grumm was defeated. When had they had time to take a picture like that?

"Because as much as this morpher has made so many people suffer, it's brought me a lot of joy, too," Wes explained softly, his eyes on the image in front of him. "I've made and lost a lot of good friends because of being a Ranger. I'm not even sure who I'd be anymore if I didn't have it." He paused, his eyes darkening for a moment. "Everything I am now ... it's happened because I was a Power Ranger."

He cut the image abruptly, leaning down to ruffle the dog's ears again. When he looked up, his eyes seemed slightly brighter than usual. "I think I'm gonna take Jen for a walk. We could both use some air."

The human Jen frowned slightly. "I can - "

Wes shook his head as he stood, offering a smile that seemed forced. "I know my way around, but thanks. I'll catch up with you guys in a bit. Come, Jen," he commanded, slapping his thigh.

The dog bounced to her feet, following obediently as they headed for the door. It was the first time Alex hadn't seen Wes immediately grab on to her leash.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Katie asked after several minutes, biting her lip.

It took a moment for Alex to realize she was addressing him. "I don't know," he said after a pause. He shook his head slightly. "He ... Eric tells him he broods a lot now."

"Wes broods?" Lucas looked skeptical.

"You'd be surprised," Alex murmured, looking after where his father had gone.


	38. Fighting Amongst Ourselves

Holy crap, it's not dead!

Okay, so Cassie Muse is ignoring me, and Alex Muse decided he felt neglected. Hence this. It's not the greatest chapter, but it leads into the official meeting between the Time Force and Newtech Rangers! (And hey, stuff explodes!)

Chapter 38:Fighting Amongst Ourselves

The lingering silence after Wes' departure was awkward. Alex ignored it, focusing on finishing his lunch in the time he had before they would need to return for the trial. Despite Wes' impressive influence, today hadn't been going as well as the day before, and he was anxious to return to the courtroom.

It was all boiling down to mutant rights issues from what he could see, which was an hot topic for many reasons. Mutants on the streets were furious and wanted justice, dangerous enough to want blood for what had been done to their kind. Many humans didn't seem to care about the issue of mutants being experimented on, only that they hadn't been aware of what was happening. Alex was fully expecting some sort of outcry in the mutant community soon, through demonstration or worse.

Once, before everything that had happened in the last two years, he wouldn't have cared so much. He would have put down the uprising in the fastest and most efficient manner possible, and waited patiently for the results of the trial without any personal interest in the outcome. But now ...

Now he had a little brother who was a mutant, and the possibility of another on the way. Now it was family, and it **was** personal. The thought of someone attacking one of his younger siblings just because of something that hadn't been their fault, something they couldn't help, made him sick to his stomach. The thought of someone calling Sky anything less than human made him want to hurt them. Severely.

**No one** messed with his little brother. Either of them.

"Alex."

He looked up at the sound of Jen's voice cutting into his thoughts, blinking once. He realized abruptly that he was about to snap his fork in half, and forced himself to relax his grip. "Yes?" he managed.

Her eyes were solemn as she stared at him, and something in her face made him sit up a little straighter, suddenly wary. "How many more secrets, Alex?" she asked flatly. "What else have you been hiding?"

He flinched.

Almost instinctively his eyes fell to the tabletop. He took a slow, deep breath. "I can't tell you Wes' secrets, because they're not mine to tell. As for my own ... " He swallowed, and felt his fists clench again against his will. "Just one."

He felt Ben stiffen slightly beside him. "A - "

"Before I knew that Wes was my father, I thought ... " He stopped, and tried again. "They told us that he was just DNA. They told us the one who wanted us, the one who ... " He closed his eyes. Why was this so _hard_? It didn't matter! Wes already knew, and he understood. He didn't like it, but he understood. Why should the Rangers be any different?

"Commander Blakemore is the only father I've ever known," he forced out at last, throat tight. "Before Wes, I thought he **was** our father."

Katie made some sort of strangled gasp. " ... Oh, Alex," she murmured.

Lucas was silent, but he hadn't expected anything from him.

Trip was silent too, but there was a look of solemn understanding he could just barely catch from the angle he was sitting at. If anything, Trip had already suspected. He supposed it was enough that Trip hadn't outright condemned him for it, considering all that Blakemore had done, but that wasn't like Trip anyway.

Ben was seething, and he could see it out of the corner of his eye. "Why do you always do this?" he demanded abruptly.

Alex glanced at him, trying not to see Jen's blank expression. "Do what?"

"Why do you always have to be a martyr?" Ben was glaring at him now. "You always expect people to - to - "

"I don't," he cut in, not wanting him to say it. He knew exactly what Ben was talking about. He just didn't want to hear it.

"You do!" Ben shouted back, slamming his hands down on the table. "You're **not** defective, A! Stop trying to make up for stuff they put into your head!"

His fingernails were starting to dig into his palms. "You're one to talk," he said lowly, trying to reign in his temper. Punching his brother was wrong. It wasn't going to solve anything. It **wasn't**.

Ben's eyes narrowed. "I **know** I'm screwed up. But at least I know it's not my fault! You still think there's something wrong with you just because they told you there was!"

He was on his feet before he could stop himself. "Shut **up**!" he snarled. "You - I - I don't - "

"You don't want to hear it, because I'm right?" Ben taunted.

"Stop it!  
They both froze, turning warily to stare at Jen. She glared at them furiously. "Stop it, **both** of you! Fighting is the **last** thing we need right now!"

Ben started to say something, but she silenced him with a look.

"I'm going to go find Wes," she said quietly, her tone still warning them to stay silent. "Ben, leave your brother alone. You're not helping. Alex ... " She stopped, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath, and Alex tried not to flinch again. "I need some time to think," she muttered finally. "I'll catch up later."

He watched her leave, and tried not to feel like his heart was breaking. In his head he could see her returning the ring again, and it hurt even more now than it had the first time. But if she couldn't keep it now, after all this ... Well, there was really nothing he could do about it.

"I'm going for a walk," he muttered finally, abandoning the last of his lunch and heading for the door.

He slammed the call button for the elevator, leaning his head against the wall for a moment and closing his eyes. He heard a door open behind him, but couldn't summon the will to look up. If it was Ben, he'd only end up yelling at him again. And if it was one of the others ... He really didn't care what they had to say anymore.

A hand touched his arm lightly. "Alex?" Katie asked softly.

He let out a long sigh, forcing himself to lift his head. "Yes?"

She leaned in and gave him a hug.

He choked. "Katie - !"

"Oh, sorry!" She relaxed her grip hastily, easing the pressure on his ribs. But she didn't let go completely, continuing to hold on to him more gently.

It was a full minute before she finally let him go, stepping back enough to look him in the face. He frowned. "What was that for?"

She smiled a little, but it seemed sad. "You seemed like you needed it." She hesitated before reaching out to take one of his hands, squeezing carefully. "Alex ... " She looked down briefly, taking a deep breath before looking up at him again. "You keep telling us all these secrets you've been keeping. About how much you've hidden from us. And you always expect us to hate you for it. But ... we don't. I don't think we could."

He blinked, startled.

She stared at him for a moment before another sad smile touched her lips. "Alex, the more I learn about you, the more I realize that you're just about the bravest person I've ever met. It just makes me want to ... to protect you, I guess. Even if you don't need me to." She shook her head a little as he continued to stare, patting his hand with her free one. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter how many secrets you've been keeping, even if you don't want to tell me them all ... I'll **always** be your friend."

He blinked again. He felt like he was supposed to say something to that, but he couldn't find the words to respond. The best he managed to do was squeeze her hand back.

She frowned slightly. "Alex? Are you okay?"

He opened his mouth, paused, and shook his head. "I ... no one ... " Once again he stopped himself, feeling stupid. "I never ... had friends before," he forced out finally. He glanced away before he could stop himself, cursing his own weakness. "Co-workers, superiors ... brothers ... but never ... " He swallowed. "Friends."

Katie gave him another hug, more carefully this time, and paused to kiss his cheek before stepping back with the warmest, kindest smile he'd ever seen her give him. "Well, you do now," she promised sincerely.

He'd just managed a very small, hesitant smile back, when the alarms went off.

* * *

"Can you repeat that?" Alex stared at Trip blankly.

Trip sighed. "The Wild Force Zords are running lose in Newtech City," he said again. He pointed to the monitor. "There's another Wolf Zord too, but I don't recognize this one."

"It's purple," Ben remarked, frowning. "Do we know any Purple Rangers?"

"Not in this system," Trip told him, shaking his head. "The nearest Purples are with Time Force Gannos. And they don't use animal zords."

"It's a purple wolf?" Alex repeated, frowning. _That sounds like ... But it couldn't be. Right?_

"A purple wolf," Lucas confirmed. "And about another hundred Wild Zords. Some we've never even seen before."

Alex looked at him sharply. "What do you mean you've never seen them before?"

"They weren't with the Wild Force Rangers when we met them," Lucas answered, frowning at the screen. "There's some I recognize, but back then, we only met ... " He paused, looking at Trip.

"Seventeen," Trip supplied. "Well, they *had* seventeen, but we only really met seven of them personally."

Alex raised a hand, cutting him off before he could ramble further. "What are they doing *here*?"

Trip shrugged. "That's a good question. I really don't know."

"It looks like they're *playing*," Katie said incredulously.

They all looked at her oddly.

"I'm serious!" she protested. "Look at Eagle Zord, and that red one. They're playing catch with a car!"

Another monitor beeped sharply, and Trip turned to study it. His eyes went wide. "There's a Ranger!"

"*What*?" Alex demanded.

"A Yellow Ranger! Archives list them as ... Lightspeed Yellow." Trip frowned, typing rapidly. "They're just ... standing there."

"Why aren't they doing anything?" Lucas wondered, frowning as he leaned in to look over Trip's shoulder.

Alex stared at the screen. _Yellow Lightspeed. Kelsey Winslow fell in battle in 2019, against the criminal Mirloc. That can't be -_

He froze, and swore. Loudly.

Katie stared at him. "What language was that?"

He shook his head. "We need to make contact with that Ranger. Katie, I need you to morph and go talk to her. I don't *think* she'll attack you, but we can't take any chances. Trip, I want you to scan for any other Power Sources in the area. If I'm right, there should be at least six, not including Wes." He paused, remembering the Purple Wolf, and tried not to groan. "Make that seven. Lucas, I need you to go find Admiral Logan and inform him of the situation. Tell him we're handling it, and ask him to keep all other Time Force operatives as far away from these Rangers and the Zords as possible. Ben - " He hesitated. "I don't want to escalate this, but I need you to prep the Time Shadow Megazord, just in case we can't talk them down."

"You know who it is?" Ben demanded.

Alex nodded, looking grim. "I hope I'm wrong."

_Because I __**really**__ don't want to have to fight my father's team just to convince them we'll give him back._

A series of loud explosions split the air, and the building shook, forcing them all to grab onto something to keep from falling.

_... Okay, maybe so I __**do**__ want to fight them._


	39. Who Your Friends Are

I love screwing with Alex's head too much. Every time I think I've fixed him, the muses decide that I haven't. So instead, we get things like this chapter. I **think** that's a good thing, but I could be wrong. I suppose it depends on your point of view.

Chapter 39:Who Your Friends Are

"Change in plans," Alex snapped. "Katie, go after that Ranger. Ben, go through the building for injured and help with triage. Trip go with Ben, try and get a damage report while you're at it. Lucas, I need you to start coordinating an evacuation. I'll find Admiral Logan and secure the courtroom." He paused, narrowing his eyes at Lucas. "Try and get a hold of Jen and Wes. Make sure they're all right, and ask them to help out. Tell Jen not to leave Wes alone, and to expect company."

"Company?" Katie looked alarmed.

He nodded grimly. "Be careful with that Ranger, Katie," he added. "If I'm right, that's Taylor Earhart-Scott."

She stared at him. "Taylor?"

"But she's our friend!" Trip burst out.

He shook his head. "Trip, if that **is** her, she's here for Wes. So are the others. They're not going to see us as friends right now. They're going to see us as the people who stole Wes from them."

Lucas was watching him carefully. "And if you're not right?"

He let out a short sigh. "Than I have no idea **who** that is, and we treat them as the enemy. Either way, they're probably after Wes. We can't let them take him."

That got their attention; Lucas, Katie, and even Trip became instantly serious. Even Ben looked grim. None of them were going to let anything happen to Wes. Not on their watch.

"Let's go, people," he snapped out, turning for the door.

"Circuit, you stay here and keep an eye on those Zords for us, okay?" Trip asked the little owl. "And see if you can find the other Rangers and get in contact with them. Maybe we can calm everyone down if we can just talk to them."

"You got it, Trip!"

Ben brushed past Alex, arms bumping together. Ben wouldn't say he was worried, or wish him good luck: that wasn't their style. But the gesture was one they had used for years, no matter how fiercely they'd fought only minutes before. It was comforting.

Lucas and Trip joined them in the elevator, while Time Force Yellow disappeared out the window.

* * *

Admiral Logan was nowhere to be found.

Alex wouldn't say it, but he was worried. It wasn't like the Admiral - Logan, and he would never get used to not having to answer to him, let alone call him by his first name - to disappear without warning. Especially when Time Force was under attack.

It didn't help that Ben was just as edgy as he was.

"_I'm telling you A, something's weird_," his brother's voice insisted over his morpher.

"You think?" he muttered absently, glancing down a corridor warily. He really shouldn't have even answered the call, but he didn't like ignoring Ben for any reason, no matter what the situation was.

"_I'm serious!_" Ben hissed. "_Something about all this isn't right. It's ... it's too organized. Too careful. There's just ... something wrong with it._"

"Obviously, considering we didn't see this coming." Alex sighed. "That's a little vague, Benji. Can you give me something more specific?"

"_No, I can't give you anything specific!_" A loud huff. "_There's something here we're not seeing, I know it_."

Alex rolled his eyes, stopping to lean against the wall behind him and pinch the bridge of his nose. "Benji, I know you're trying to help," he tried, knowing even as he spoke it was the wrong thing to say. "But a lot of the rules get thrown out the window in a terrorist attack. This is a classic disaster situation course scenario. Lucas could probably give you some good examples - "

"_I don't care who took courses in tactics and disaster situations!_" Ben interrupted, snarling. "_And the next time I see him, I'll tell Lucas to his face!_"

He sighed again. "Benji, that wasn't what I - "

He paused as faint, sharp bark came over the comm. "Benji?" he asked warily. "Are Wes and his dog with you?"

Another bark, and Ben's voice speaking softly to someone else. "_Hi, boy. What are you doing here? Are you lost?_"

Alex's eyes widened. "Ben, don't - "

There was a loud yell, and the sound of static.

"Ben? Ben! Ben, answer me!"

He swore at the silence. He paused to think, running a hand over his hair in agitation. "Rangers, this is Alex. Everyone report in."

"_This is Lucas_," came the immediate response.

"_Oh, sorry! Trip here!_"

"_Alex?_" Jen's image looked confused.

He waited a beat. "Katie? Ben? Where are you?"

"_This is Katie_," came a breathless voice as Time Force Yellow appeared above his morpher. "_And this better be good, 'cause now's __**really**__ not good time - _"

"Something's happened to Ben," he cut in. "What's your status? And where's Wes?"

"_Taylor isn't so much in the mood to talk anymore_," Yellow panted. "_We're working on it. I'll be in touch_." There was a sharp beep as her morpher turned off and her image vanished.

"_Wes is - _" Jen stopped, cursing. "_He was right behind me. He must still be at the statue - Alex, what's going on?_"

"There's another Ranger team in Newtech City, I think they belong to Wes. They set off some sort of explosive in Time Force. Find Wes and don't let him out of your sight."

She huffed in annoyance. "_Sounds like Eric's idea_," she muttered. "_I'll contact you as soon as I have Wes. Be careful, everyone._"

"Lucas, Trip? How are things with you two?" He paused, trying to hide the anxiety in his voice. "Have either of you seen Ben?"

"Admiral Logan is down," Lucas informed them grimly. "He was standing next to a console when it blew. Someone's already taken him to triage. Most of the other injuries are minor. We count seven explosions. They took out the landing bay, most of the time ships, communications, teleportation, and - "

Alex's eyes narrowed at the sudden silence. "And **what**?"

He heard Lucas clear his throat, sounding uncomfortable. "They took out the labs." He paused. "The Morpher Project labs."

Alex went still, his heart pounding. _Why would they ... _"They know," he whispered to himself. _Wes told them about ... About me and Ben. But why ... why would they ... ? Why do they care?_

Swallowing hard, he shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. Now wasn't the time. He had a job to do. "Trip," he said instead, ignoring the slight catch to his voice. "What's our status?"

"It's really weird, Alex," Trip answered immediately. "We're having problems with lighting, but ... none of the explosives were near any vital functions for the building. There's no reason for it. And according to the AI, there were less than a hundred people still in the building when they went off. Most of them were outside, watching the Zords."

There was a lengthy pause.

"They didn't want to hurt anyone." Lucas' voice was quiet, almost disbelieving. "They deliberately set this up to minimize the damage, and cripple Time Force at the same time."

"Ben was right," Alex muttered, feeling sick. "This isn't what it seems."

"I haven't seen him since we split up Alex, but I'll keep looking," Trip promised, sounding anxious.

Alex forced himself to nod. "Be on the look out for Newtech Rangers," he warned. "Even if they weren't trying to hurt anyone, they're still not making any effort to get in contact with us. They may still not see us as allies. Be careful."

Trip's image over his morpher nodded back. "You too, Alex," he said earnestly. He flickered out, leaving Lucas' projection in his place.

"Are you all right?" Lucas asked quietly.

For a moment, he thought about lying. Then he sighed. "No," he said simply. "I've already had to contain a few prisoners that tried to escape. The only one I haven't found yet is ... "

Lucas' eyes narrowed. "Be **careful** Alex," he warned. "If things get out of hand, call me."

He blinked, startled by the offer, and managed a faint smile. "Thanks, Lucas."

"I mean it," Lucas insisted. "Don't face him alone. I've got things mostly under control here - "

"I'll be fine," he cut in, shaking his head. "Stay where you're at. I'll contact you when I'm finished here." He ended the call before Lucas could protest again.

For a moment, he leaned against the wall, taking the time to run a hand over his face. Wes' team was here, and they were treating his Rangers as the enemy. Wes was missing - probably already run back to them - and the thought hurt more than it should have. Eric (_His ... dad?_) was probably involved in the explosions. Which meant Eric **knew**. Not just about him and Ben, but **everything** about them. He tried to search Wes' memories to find when he'd told, but he was too unfocused to get a clear moment.

At last he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He didn't have time for this. He needed to find Blakemore.

Drawing his blaster again, he moved out and down the hall.

It didn't take long to find him. Blakemore was sitting calmly in his chair in the courtroom, legs crossed and sipping a glass of water. He looked up and smiled in greeting. "Alexander."

Alex tightened his grip on the blaster. "There's been an attack on Time Force," he informed the man coolly. "You're coming with me."

"I don't think so," Blakemore returned almost casually, taking another sip.

Alex's eyes narrowed. "You don't think so?" he repeated.

"I've had enough of this farce of a trial." Blakemore waved a hand airily. "It was interesting while it lasted, but I've grown tired of wasting time here. I've decided it's time for me to move on."

Alex stared at him incredulously. "Are you mentally unstable?" he demanded. "You're being tried for crimes against humanity, not hanging out for kicks!" _Wes, you are a terrible influence on my vocabulary_, he thought irrelevantly.

Blakemore laughed at him. "Alexander, did you **actually** believe I would lose this case? Most of Time Force is in my pocketbook. I've been putting up with this because I find it entertaining. And I must say, that memory exchange you and Collins demonstrated was quite fascinating. I wonder if we could achieve the same results from the Quantum Morphers," he added, looking thoughtful.

Alex stepped closer, aiming his blaster straight at Blakemore's forehead. "You stay away from them," he snarled. "Don't you even **think** about coming near either of them!"

The look Blakemore gave him was amused, almost fond. "You never cease to amaze me, Alexander. You are everything I ever hoped you could be."

His eyes narrowed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you have been trained, from the moment you were brought here, to believe that your life is worthless in comparison to the lives of everyone around you. That you must do anything and everything to protect others, because they hold more value than you do." Blakemore paused to smile at him. "And here you are, facing down your own father, because you're afraid I'll hurt Benjamin and Myers."

"You are **not** my father," he snapped out. There were other things he wanted to say, other words to protest ... but he couldn't, and he didn't know why. "You never were."

Blakemore sighed, rolling his eyes. "Yes, that Collins **has** messed with your head, hasn't he?" He sounded almost sympathetic. "But the truth is Alexander, he and Myers created you, **knowing** that you would be taken here. They never expected to keep you. They knew you would be raised by Time Force, as you have been, to be exactly what you are."

His hand was shaking. He tried to ignore it. "That's a lie."

"I suppose old age has made Collins a bit more sentimental," Blakemore went on, coming around the table to regard him with the same look he'd once given to faulty weaponry. "He probably feels a bit guilty, knowing that you've become the prototype to his era. But the truth remains. They never wanted you, Alexander. They just wanted the Red Chrono Morpher."

_It's not true_, he told himself. _You know it's not. Wes __**said**__ it wasn't._

He swallowed, distantly aware that his hand was beginning to lower. _But you never expected him to mean it ..._

"I was created to be the Time Force Red Ranger," he whispered. "That's all I've ever been. That's all I'll ever be."

Blakemore smiled at him, stepping close. His arms came around him, patting his back, and it felt _wrong_. "There's a good boy," Blakemore soothed. "We'll sort out all those confusing thoughts soon enough."

He stepped back, and Alex realized suddenly that his blaster was in the other man's hand.

_I should move_, he thought dully. _He's going to shoot me. I shouldn't stand still._

Blakemore squeezed the trigger, and Alex watched almost passively as the burst of laser fire came straight at his face.


	40. Fights and Forgiveness

Wes and Eric totally stole the limelight from Lucas in this chapter. I was going to have **him** be the one to save Alex, but OverprotectiveParentMuses are scary. -Cowers-

And hey, Alex finally gets to spend time alone with his fiancée! That's right ... there was supposed to be romance in this story, wasn't there? Whoops.

Chapter 40:Fights and Forgiveness

-- _"You may not __**want**__ me here, but I'm not going home until I see that man punished for what he did to my boys. Because you __**are**__ my boys. Even if he raised you, even if ... even if I never got to know you before you were already too old for me to do the things I wanted to with you, you're still my son." _--

Time seemed to slow as the words flickered through Alex's mind. He could see the laser coming at him, knew he could move if he chose to. The Time Force Rangers had been designed to manipulate time, after all.  
-- _"No matter how hard you try and tell me you're not, you __**are**__. Because I love you, and I've wanted to be part of your life even when I knew I couldn't. Even before I knew who you really were."_ --

Something hit him in the side, knocking him flying.

It wasn't fast enough; the blast caught him in the left shoulder, making him grunt in pain. His hand came up to cover it instinctively, and he hissed as he touched singed flesh. He landed on something soft as arms wrapped around him, shielding his head.

"Freeze!" someone ordered.

"Well, this is unexpected," Blakemore commented. "Come now, Benjamin, you know better than to turn against **me**," he scolded, sounding like he was speaking to a two-year-old. He reached for something in his pocket, his hand moving to press something they couldn't see.

"No!" Alex choked out. He struggled to get free from whatever was pinning him. "Stop him! That's an ESN!"

Hands caught his arms, holding him down. "ESN?" another voice repeated.

"Extra-Sensory Neuron Controller. He put one in Ben's morpher!" he huffed in frustration, shoving ineffectually at the person. "It's a shock device!"

"He did **what**?" the first voice growled.

Alex continued to struggle, but he couldn't get whoever it was to let him go.

"Why isn't this blasted thing working?" he heard Blakemore demand, looking up to see him aiming a small remote at the Quantum Ranger.

He pushed at - Red? Was the person wearing Red? - trying to get to his brother before Blakemore could shock him again. But the Quantum Ranger was already moving, lunching across the room to grab Blakemore by the throat and pin him against the opposite wall, his feet dangling above the floor. Blakemore made a strange, gasping sound.

"Eric, don't!" the person on top of Alex protested.

_Wes?_ he realized. _Wes is ... And that's not Ben. That's Eric? What is he doing - _

"Maybe," Quantum hissed, fist tightening as Blakemore gasped for air, "You're pointing it at the **wrong Ranger**."

Blakemore's eyes went wide, and he turned deathly pale. "M-Myers?"

There was a burst of red light, leaving Eric in the Quantum Ranger's place. His back was to Alex and Red Time Force Ranger on top of him, but whatever his expression was, Blakemore looked completely terrified.

"So you're the one," Eric said softly, and there was a current of anger in his tone that sent chills down Alex's spine. "You're the one who took my kids. You stole them from me, and hurt them in ways I don't even want to think about. You ruined my marriage. You kidnapped my husband. You're the reason I lost **everything**." His voice was barely a whisper now, and Blakemore was visibly shaking. "Give me **one** reason why I shouldn't rip you to pieces right now."

Alex stared at him, stunned. _His ... his kids? Is he angry ... for me?_

"Y-you're a Ranger," Blakemore sputtered. "Under Time Force! You - you answer to me!"

Silence.

"Wrong answer," Eric hissed, drawing back his fist.

The Ranger that had been holding Alex down was gone now, and he could hear shouting in the distance. Someone was screaming. He could see red. Blood? Someone was bleeding. _Ben?_ he thought weakly. _Ben's not ... am I?_

His shoulder hurt, and he reached up to touch it, hissing slightly as pain flared. The flesh was blistered when he looked at it, edges of blackened fabric sticking to the wound. It would probably be painful to remove later.

But there was no blood, which meant the person bleeding wasn't him.

" ... Dad?"

The word slipped out before he could stop it, but it seemed to get the attention he wanted. Eric was looking at him. So was the Ranger ... Red Time Force. Wes, right? Wes was ... here.

Wes and Eric were hurting Commander Blakemore?

Eric stumbled toward him, hand outstretched. "Alex?" he asked anxiously.

Alex blinked once, then slowly shook his head. "You can't hurt him," he said quietly, looking at the blood on Eric's hand. The color of the Red Ranger. "I can't ... There's only so much I can do to protect you - "

"Let us handle that," Eric told him. His voice was soft and soothing. It didn't suit him, but it felt right somehow at the same time. "It's our job to protect you, not the other way around."

Alex shook his head again, blinking rapidly and swallowing. Eric wanted to protect him? "Time Force will - "

"That man just shot and threatened my kids, and I wasn't morphed when I hit him," Eric interrupted. "I know my rights. I'd like to see them try arrest me."

_My kids_. He blinked again. Eric kept saying that. Like it meant something. Like it mattered.

Like **he** mattered.

His eyes flickered to Blakemore. He lay curled up on the floor, his nose broken and bleeding, blending into the stream oozing from his lip. His right arm hung oddly, probably dislocated. And he was openly crying.

-- _"Crying is for children, Alexander. You are not a child. You are a Ranger."_ --

The man he had lived in fear of for most of his life was curled in a ball on the floor.

And the men he had hated most of his life for making him what he was had put him there. Had put him there, saying it was for him and Ben. For them.

"Alex?" There was a hand gently touching his shoulder, avoiding the laser burn. "Talk to me, kiddo."

He blinked. "Kiddo?" he echoed dully.

"That's right. You're my kid, that makes you a kiddo." The voice was gentle, sounding nothing like when it had been snarling at Blakemore or speaking in cold fury.

He started, eyes widening in disbelief. "I'm ... yours?"

_No one's ever ... No one wants me. No one ever has._

_Have they?_ Somehow, he thought that sounded wrong. Like there was something he was forgetting about.

"Of course you are, buddy," another voice murmured in that same soothing tone. "We've never stopped thinking about you, remember? We've always wanted you with us."

"Always," the second added firmly, and the hand squeezed his shoulder.

"And now you're finally were you belong. We finally found you."

"Found ... " he repeated softly. His brow furrowed in confusion. "I was lost?"

"You're not anymore," the second voice promised as an arm came around him. "You're not lost. You're right where you belong."

An odd smile flickered across his face. "Where I belong ... " he murmured. _That's a nice dream ..._

He promptly collapsed against them, unconscious.

_

* * *

__"He did __**what**__?"_

--

_"Eric, don't!"_

_"M-Myers?"_

_"Y-you're a Ranger. Under Time Force! You - you answer to me!"_

_"Wrong answer."_

_" ... Dad?"_ _--_

He was awake in an instant, but opening his eyes seemed like more effort than he was willing to make just yet. Instead he lay quietly, listening.

There were muffled voices somewhere nearby, but judging from the softness probably in a different room. The sharp smell with underlying lavender told him he was in the medical bay in Ranger Tower. Rustling meant that he wasn't alone, but he couldn't decide for sure who was sitting beside him.

"I know you're awake," a familiar voice murmured. "You might as well open your eyes."

For some reason, the sound made the last of the tension fade from his shoulder. "Too much effort," he muttered.

There was a soft chuckle, and a hand reached up to stroke his forehead. "Well, you did have a second degree burn from that blaster. They said you finally passed out from shock."

He made a noise of acknowledgement, even as he silently grumbled at the idea that he'd passed out.

"How are you feeling?"

He took a moment to assess himself. "Sore," he said finally. "Tired."

"How's the shoulder? Any more pain?"

He rolled it tentatively and shook his head. "Not a twinge."

"Good." The firm, casual tone was contrasted by the gentle touch to his cheek, and he finally forced his eyes open.

Jen smiled down at him warmly. "There you are," she murmured. "Hey."

"Hey," he whispered back.

She looked at him for a long moment, her expression soft. "We should get married," she decided suddenly.

He raised his eyebrows. "Isn't that why I gave you the ring?"

She rolled her eyes. "I mean, we should get married soon. While Wes and Eric are still here." She hesitated, biting her lip. "I'd ... I'd really like your parents to be there, too."

"That's never going to stop being weird," he muttered, and she chuckled at him.

"You think it's weird for you?" she teased back. "My best friend is my fiancé's father!"

He made a face. "Please stop saying that."

Her smile faded. "I thought you liked Wes."

He sighed, reaching up to scrub a hand over his face. The gesture was more tiring than it should have been. "I do. Sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

For a moment he was silent, staring at the ceiling as he tried to find the words to explain. "My whole life," he said finally, "I've been raised to believe that I exist to make Wesley Collins and Eric Myers into Power Rangers. That's the only reason I was made. I've been pushed to measure up to the standards they set, follow in their footsteps. And then they took everything I had away from me. My morpher, my job, my team ... " He swallowed. "You."

There were tears in Jen's eyes. "Alex - "

"And now ... now I know things about Wes that even Eric doesn't. I know every detail of his life. I know that he never lies, because he's been lied to most of his life. I know that he values people who earn what they want. I know ... I know he's a good person. And I want to hate him ... but I can't."

He swallowed again, and now the ceiling seemed to blur for a moment. "And after trying for months to stop hating him, to ... to accept that he's not the person I thought he was ... Now I have to accept that he's my **father**? That everything I was ever told, everything I believed, is wrong? I just - " He broke off, sitting up despite his exhaustion to bury his face in his hands.

"I want to hate them. And I want to love them," he whispered finally. "And I ... I just don't know who I am anymore."

Arms came around him, squeezing gently as she pressed her lips to his temple. "I know exactly who you are, Alex."

He snorted wetly. "Do you?"

"Yes," she insisted. "I know that you're strong, and brave, and loyal. That you love your friends more than anything. That you're a geek." She paused to nudge him playfully, her tone teasing. "That you'd rather spend a night watching the history channel on the couch than going out to a fancy restaurant. That you're horrible with people and you hate it, so you avoid talking to them unless you have to." She paused again, reflective now as she ran a hand through his hair. "I know that you're scared to love, because you're afraid of being hurt. And that's why you'd rather hate Wes and Eric, because if you love them, they can hurt you. Just like I did. Just like **he** did." Even without saying the name, the disgust and fury in her voice made her practically spit the word.

He swallowed again. "I thought you were mad at me for keeping more secrets."

"A little," she admitted. "But that's part of love, Alex. Being angry at someone, and learning to forgive them."

"I don't know if I can."

"I think you already have," she corrected softly. "You just don't want to admit it."

He closed his eyes, reaching up with one hand to grip her arm as she hugged him. "If ... if I love them, then everything is different. Then they're not who I thought they were. I'm not who I thought I was."

"Sometimes change is good." She paused to kiss his temple again. "Wes taught me that," she confessed quietly. There was a moment of silence as he could feel her looking at him, but he kept his eyes closed, not wanting to see it. "You're more like him than you know. And I mean that in a good way."

He sighed, leaning into her. "You wouldn't say it if you didn't," he murmured.

She snorted. "Oh yes, I would." Another pause. "Think about what I said?"

"Which part?"

She sighed. "Forgiving them, I suppose. But ... I really do want to get married, Alex. We've put it off for so long ... " She paused, and when she spoke again her voice trembled. "I could have lost you today. Again. I've almost lost you so many times, and I - "

He turned to cut her off with a kiss, eventually pulling away to look her in the face. They were both watery-eyed, even if it was for different entirely different reasons. "I want to see the end of this trial," he said slowly, carefully. "And after that ... "

He reached up to cup her cheek, marveling at the idea that even now, after all this time, she still loved him. Wanted him. "After that, we'll get married," he whispered. "For real this time."

The smile she gave him was like watching the sunrise. He resolved then and there to make sure to see that smile every day. For the rest of his life.

It left him with a surprisingly good feeling.


	41. Kids and Parents

This chapter took me **forever** to write. First Alex didn't want to talk, then Eric didn't. And the Newtech Rangers were being as difficult as usual. But it's done now, and I don't entirely hate it, which is something.

Love to phantom_blue for beta!

Chapter 41:Kids and Parents

Transporting, housing, and feeding fourteen Power Rangers was exhausting.

It wasn't that they didn't get along, or that the Newtech Rangers weren't polite, Alex reflected as he worked on the large pile of dishes left from dinner. It was that things were horribly, incredibly awkward.

The Newtech Rangers were in their forties. They were war veterans, parents, and had more inside jokes than Alex wanted to think about. They had a level of deliberate casualty with one another that was bizarre to see, even knowing what he did.

He, Jen, Lucas, and Katie were in their early twenties. Trip was nineteen, Ben was sixteen. Newtech had built a corporation up; they were in the process of tearing one down. They were officers, leaders, scientists and experiments. Newtech was a mismatched group of friends from various places and careers. The only thing the two groups seemed to have in common was their relationships to Wes and Eric.

But even they had changed. The Eric he'd last seen was snappish and brooding. This one was calm and patient, and frequently cracked jokes with a wry sense of humor. He was constantly behind, beside, or being leaned on by Wes. Wes, by contrast, was quieter than he remembered, more contemplative. He often just watched everyone around him as they talked, smiling softly. More than once Alex saw him with his eyes closed, but a soft laugh of appreciation at someone's comment would prove that he wasn't sleeping.

He'd thought Jen and the others had been very ... touchy, after returning from the past. It had taken time to get used to, and even now, their tendency to offer casual touches or hugs unnerved him. Ben openly complained when they tried to involve him, because he still wasn't used to being around anyone who wasn't Alex.

The Newtech Rangers draped themselves over each other. When he'd left them gathered in the den, Wes had been laying with his head in Eric's lap and one hand on his dog, who was laying on the floor in front of him beside the robotic dog. Vanessa was leaning back against R.J. and arguing back and forth with Justin across the table while playing some sort of hand game with Taylor next to her. Justin meanwhile, seemed to be in some sort of dogpile with Chip on top of Zhane, who for all intents and purposes, actually **was** asleep. And snoring.

The dialogue between them **seemed** open, and Katie and Trip had eagerly inserted themselves into the conversation. None of the Newtech Rangers seemed to mind. But the differences between technology that they knew and the technology that his team knew made things even more awkward when they couldn't follow along. There were smiles and hurrying the conversation along, but the strangeness was still there in the gaps and sudden silences.

Alex had finally been forced to excuse himself with the claim of cleaning up. He could have left it, or just quickly tossed them in the washer, but he needed an excuse for the solitude. He could look at Wes and his team and remember things about them he wasn't supposed to know. He could follow their conversation without needing an explanation, could probably even have explained some of the upgrades in the years between them and how they'd come to pass.

He could look at them, and see where and how he was supposed to fit and know that he didn't. And it hurt when it shouldn't have.

He set down the dish he was washing with a quiet groan, leaning forward to rest his head against the counter. Somehow he couldn't shake the feeling that he was making this all more complicated than it had to be. But he couldn't figure out how it could possibly be simple, either.

"Headache?"

He jerked upright, spinning around to see Eric watching him. "I'm fine," he said automatically.

Eric rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Headache," he repeated. "Wes gets the same look."

Alex scowled at him. "I don't have a headache," he retorted sharply.

Eric raised his hands submissively. "Fine. You don't have a headache. You just wanted a better look at the floor, right?"

Now Alex was the one rolling his eyes, turning back to the sink. "Did you need something?"

"Do I need a reason to talk to my son?"

The words sent a chill down Alex's spine, and he fought a shudder, grabbing another dish. "I'm a little busy. Can it wait?"

There was a long silence as he scrubbed at the plate for longer than he needed to. He wondered if Eric was glaring at him. If he was hurt. Did he care? Should **he** care about how Eric felt?

Probably.

But he couldn't. Acknowledging Eric meant caring about how he felt. About how Eric felt about him. It meant awkward moments, getting to know one another, trying to get along and find something in common. It meant the chance of **not** being able to find anything likeable about each other.

Or even worse: finding something in common, something to build a relationship from, and actually getting along. Knowing and liking Eric as more than a historical figure from the past. From his past.

And then watching him leave, and knowing he'd most likely never see the other man again.

Wes was different. He didn't have a choice with Wes. And now that Wes knew who he was, knew **him**, he just ignored whatever attempts Alex could make to push him away. He read between lines Alex wasn't even aware he was drawing and did what he decided was best.

It was incredibly annoying, yet somehow endearing at the same time.

But it didn't change the fact that at some point, they'd be gone. They couldn't stay in the future, and he couldn't go to the past. Getting close to them now meant having something to lose later. And he wasn't sure he could handle that.

On some level, he was already grieving for what he was about to lose with Wes. He didn't want to go through that with Eric, too.

The silence continued, and he found himself glancing up to see if Eric had actually left the room.

He hadn't. He was staring at him.

Alex frowned slightly. "What?"

The corner of Eric's mouth lifted. "You remind me of your brother when you do that. Sky," he clarified, as Alex continued to stare at him. "He does this too. Ignores the things he doesn't know how to deal with." Then he paused, looking thoughtful. "Or he confronts it, which usually gets him in worse trouble."

"Why do you keep doing that?" Alex asked irritably, for lack of anything else to say.

Eric frowned slightly. "Doing what?"

"You and Wes. All of you. You keep comparing me to people. Wes says I look like you. Jen and the others say I'm like Wes. And now you're trying to say I'm like Sky?" Alex glared at him. "Make up your mind. Am I me, or am I someone else?"

The look Eric gave him in return was considering. "Issues much?" he asked dryly.

Alex's eyes widened, and the plate slipped from his hand. "Who do you think you are?" he demanded incredulously. "Are you **trying** to make me mad?"

To his surprise, Eric only shook his head, looking amused. "Alex. Relax, kid. I'm trying to hold a conversation. You're the one who's freaking out here. Take a few deep breaths and calm down, all right?"

"Don't call me kid," he snapped back, fists clenching.

"You're **my** kid."

This time the words made him pause, staring at the wall above the sink for several moments. "I've never been a kid," he said finally. It came out softer than he'd have liked.

A hand settled onto his shoulder, squeezing gently. "You're **my** kid," Eric repeated quietly behind him. "You could be fifty years old and you'd still be my kid. You could be the greatest supervillain Earth's ever seen and you'd still be my kid. You could be the biggest wuss I'd ever met, and I still wouldn't care. You're my kid, and that's just the way it is."

He closed his eyes as his throat tightened.

"And for the record," Eric went on, "I say you remind me of your brother because you do. You remind me of Wes, too. Just like you remind Wes of me. That's what parents do. We look at our kids, and see the work that went into making them. It's not an insult that you make me think about two of the people I love most in the world. That's another one of those things you're gonna have to get used to."

The hand was still on his shoulder, patting him gently now. "Now stop hiding in here and come spend time with your family. I haven't had a chance to embarrass you yet."

Alex cracked an eye open to look at him. "And that's supposed to make me **want** to join you?"

Eric smirked slightly, and Alex tried not to look startled at how familiar the expression was. It was the same smirk his brother had. The same as the one he saw in the mirror. "No," he answered, dropping his hand from Alex's shoulder to grip his upper arm lightly. "But you seem to think I was giving you a choice." And he proceeded to drag Alex - still protesting - back into the living room.

Eric stopped in the doorway as Alex tried to pry himself free, letting out a loud sigh. "Astro, stop pretending to be asleep and just go to bed already," he ordered. "And take your pillows with you."

The snoring coming from Zhane stopped immediately as the man opened his eyes to blink at Eric, not looking the slightest bit groggy. "But I was having fun," he complained.

"Pillows?" Justin repeated, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Pillows," Eric repeated firmly, glaring back. "You're laying on him like puppies. Go to bed already."

"Who put you in charge?" Taylor demanded.

Eric raised his eyebrows.

There was a long moment of silence that seemed to be filled with some sort of unspoken communication, but for all his inside knowledge even Alex couldn't follow it.

"Fine," Vanessa grumbled, forcing herself upright.

There was a pause, and R.J. quickly stood up, helping her up and kissing the back of her hand with a sweeping gesture. "Anything else I can do for the lovely lady?"

"You can stop calling her the lovely lady," she informed him dryly, narrowing her eyes.

R.J. smiled pleasantly. "As you wish, Minx."

She rolled her eyes and socked him in the shoulder.

Trip scrambled to his feet with a bright smile, quickly followed by Katie. "We'll show you where you guys can sleep," he offered. "It's not much, but we've got lots blankets and pillows."

Zhane grinned at him. "Sounds like paradise."

Chip nodded eagerly, looking wistful. "You never think about just how amazing blankets and pillows are until you have to go without them."

Justin shoved his shoulder as he got up. "Thanks, Mystic. I was hoping to avoid the nightmares for one night," he groused.

Alex frowned after them as they all slowly began to follow Trip and Katie up the stairs, still bickering. From what he knew of Justin through Wes, he was usually a fairly cheerful person. But since he'd actually met him in person, Justin seemed to be incredibly surly. "Is he all right?" he asked warily once they were out of ear shot. "Justin, I mean," he added belatedly.

"No," Eric answered him, shoving him onto the bench the others had just vacated before moving to the other side. He carefully lifted Wes' head as he sat down, lowering it into his lap. Wes didn't even open his eyes, and Alex wondered if he finally *had* fallen asleep, and why Eric hadn't sent him off as well.

He frowned. "No?" he echoed.

Eric sighed. "I asked too much from him today."

Jen frowned, moving from her chair opposite the table to sit beside Alex. "Will he be all right?"

"Eventually. It's gonna be a rough night, though."

Lucas gave him an odd look. "Why's that?"

"Because he'll be having nightmares all night." Surprisingly, Eric didn't seem bothered by this. Instead he was looking down at Wes with an oddly soft expression. "We all get them, but Justin's got some of the worst."

There was an awkward silence as no one really knew what to say to that.

Alex sighed quietly as Jen leaned against him, absently wrapping an arm around her waist and staring down at the table. More inside information they didn't have, more things he wished he didn't know. More gaps. More silences. Why was Eric trying to talk to them now?

He glanced up as Trip and Katie returned, Trip plopping down next to Lucas, only to flush as the other man pulled him closer. Katie looked amused, leaning back on her hands on the floor across from them near Ben, who was reclining against the opposite wall. "So?" she asked, pausing to steal one of the pillows Ben was hoarding and ignoring his squawk of protest. "What's so important that you had to oh-so-subtly ask to talk to us alone?"

"I don't do subtlety," Eric dismissed, still looking down at Wes. His expression seemed more contemplative now. "And they did need to get some rest. None of us have slept since Wes went missing yesterday."

Alex tried not to wince. While he really hadn't had anything to do with Wes' kidnapping personally, he was the main reason Wes had been brought to the trial. And he'd agreed with Trip that Wes would be returned before his team would miss him. He probably should have known better.

"I was thinking that you all have questions," Eric went on, entwining his fingers with Wes' in a way that was deliberately casual and somewhat disturbing to watch, even knowing what Alex did now in comparison to before. "About Wes. Me. And I figured you should ask me while we have the time."

Jen looked startled. "You're willing to do that?"

Eric finally looked up, his eyes unexpectedly serious. "Wes wants you guys to know. He just can't talk about it." He shrugged. "So I'll explain what I can for him."

There was an awkward pause.

"Wes was in a coma?" Trip spoke up hesitantly.

Eric closed his eyes briefly. "Yeah." He sighed, taking a deep breath. "It was after ... after we split up. After he told me the truth about the boys and what Time Force was doing." His eyes flickered first to Alex, then over to Ben, who looked startled. "I didn't want anything to do with him after that, so Wes joined S.P.D. to help Vanessa with raising Sky - "

"Wait, Sky's not your kid?" Lucas sat up a little straighter, frowning in confusion.

Eric sighed. "Why don't I start over from the beginning? This is gonna take awhile."


	42. The Nature of Forgiveness

Ironically, this is totally not at all how I was expecting this chapter to end. -Eyes AlexMuse-

Chapter 42:The Nature of Forgiveness

"So I finally got up for some air, because I like Daggeron well enough, but there's only so much of his 'righteous knight' attitude I can take at a time," Eric went on, rolling his eyes. "I made it into the bathroom to hide out for a few minutes and the next thing I know, Wes walks in and starts laughing so hard he can barely stand up. Took him about five minutes to finally calm down enough to notice I was there. We get to talking, and Wes told me that he was sorry, and that he'd honestly thought since he changed his destiny before, he figured he could do it again with the boys." There was a long pause as Eric started down at the table in front of him. "I told him I wanted to forgive him, but I didn't know if I could," he said finally.

"Then Danny said he needed Wes for something, and they took off." He frowned slightly down at Wes, still laying in his lap. "That was the last time we really talked for ... a few years, actually. There was - "

But Alex wasn't listening anymore. He was already up and moving, pushing past a soft-eyed and sympathetic Jen who looked marginally startled when he climbed over the back of the bench. Trip was leaning on Lucas with wide, teary eyes of his own, while an equally watery-eyed Katie was clinging to Ben, who was staring at Eric in fascination. Alex spared a brief thought just long enough to wonder if she was squeezing Ben too tight, because he looked a bit flustered. "I need some air," he muttered, already heading for the door.

He barely made it off the porch before a hand closed on his arm. He spun, only marginally startled to see Wes. "Do any of you actually sleep, or do you just pretend to?" he heard himself ask.

"We learned a long time ago to take what sleep we can when we can get it," Wes answered, frowning in concern. "But I wasn't asleep." He paused, looking at Alex for a moment. "It wasn't your fault," he said finally.

Alex flinched slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Wes' expression softened, and Alex found himself wrapped in a hug before he could stop it. "Alex. You didn't do anything wrong," Wes murmured in his ear. "I'm the one who chose not to tell Eric what was going on. I'm the one who tried to do everything on my own."

"I told you not to say anything," Alex reminded him. "I made you promise not to."

Was that his voice?

"And I'm the one who chose to go along with it," Wes returned. A hand came up to rub his shoulder. "I **could** have told Eric anyway. He was Time Force, too. And it was his family. He had a right to know, no matter what anyone else said. But I didn't, because I thought I could change things all on my own. You were just going off the information Time Force was feeding you. I was the one who made the final decision to keep it quiet." The hand squeezed slightly. "It wasn't your fault."

Alex swallowed. His chest felt tight, and he didn't know why. "He said he'd never forgive you," he said finally.

"And he probably won't," Wes agreed. "But I'll never forgive myself, either."

He flinched again. "I - "

"Alex." Wes' voice was gentle as he stepped back to look into Alex's face. His hands were on Alex's shoulders, gripping carefully, but his expression was full of sympathy. "I lost my boys. There's nothing in the world that can explain just how that feels. And I knew **exactly** what was happening to you while I wasn't there. I was arrogant enough to think I could stop that from happening all on my own, and I was wrong. I will never forgive myself for that. And in some ways, Eric won't ever forgive me either." He stopped, hands tightening. Alex hadn't even realized he was trying to move away. "**But**," Wes stressed, "That doesn't mean the end of our relationship. If I've learned anything from the years we were separated, it's that there's nothing Eric and I can't work through. We should have seen that then, but I was too busy blaming myself to listen, and Eric was too hurt and angry to talk."

"How ... " Alex shook his head slightly, trying to focus. "How can you work past something like that? How can you just - "

Wes' answering smile was wry. "Eric's almost lost me three times. He's dealt with me unconscious, blind, rude, depressed, and just about every emotion in the spectrum. I've learned to work with his bad attitude, his lack of social skills, and his problems with communicating effectively. After everything we've been through, there is absolutely nothing about Eric I can't learn to accept. And I know he feels the same way. So on some level, he'll never be able to completely forgive me. But that's something we can work through." He paused, looking thoughtful. "When Eric asked me to marry him, he told me that we couldn't be partners without being partners in everything, because it doesn't work that way for us. It never has."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alex grumbled, already picturing the moment in his mind and trying not to remember what had come just before that.

"That Eric's the closest thing I'll ever have to a soulmate," Wes said simply. He grinned faintly. "Although if I actually said it that way to his face, he'd deck me."

Despite himself, Alex snorted in amusement, and Wes' grin widened. "He would," he agreed.

Wes chuckled softly, and Alex glanced down almost absently, noting that Wes' dog had followed him outside and was sitting at their feet, watching them silently. Her tail wagged when he looked at her, and he acknowledged silently that he shouldn't be surprised, as that **was** what she was trained to do. He hesitated briefly before slowly holding out a hand. The dog sniffed it, nosed him once, and looked up expectantly.

"She wants you to pet her," Wes told him, reaching out to rub the dog's head himself. "She knows not to ask for attention, but she loves it when people pet her."

Alex frowned uncertainly. "I've never been around animals before," he muttered, still eyeing the dog.

"I know," Wes said patiently, squeezing his shoulder as his other hand continued to pet the dog. "But she can smell that you're family, and that means she likes you."

"Dogs can smell that?"

"Dogs can smell the last time you showered, what kind of deodorant you're using, how you're feeling, what you ate last, and even how many other people you've touched today. She can definitely smell that much." He paused, and grinned slightly again. "She can probably tell us apart better than anyone else could, too."

_At least someone can_, Alex thought irritably. He hesitated again before at last reaching out slowly. The dog kept watched him, but she wasn't acting aggressively or moving away, so he tentatively put his hand on top of her head.

Her tail thumped against the ground.

"You should smile like that more often," Wes commented as Alex carefully stroked the dog's head.

He glanced up, startled. "What?"

"You're smiling," Wes repeated, looking faintly amused. "You should do that more often."

Alex frowned, looking away uncomfortably. "There isn't exactly a lot to smile about," he muttered.

The dog whined faintly, and he started as she moved forward, pressing against his side and whimpering again. He moved to pet her again without thinking, and her tail immediately began to wag as her eyes closed. He felt the corner of his mouth twitch and tried to fight it.

"How do you figure?"

He looked up again. "What?"

"How do you figure there isn't a lot to smile about?" Wes asked again. There was an odd look on his face as he studied Alex. "You've got a job you enjoy, friends who'd fight half the world for you, and a beautiful fiancé who'd lead the charge. Your family loves you. Blakemore's finally about to be put away for good. How is that not enough to smile about?"

Alex stared at him blankly. "I don't get to spend as much time doing my job as I'd like to, because I'm usually stuck doing something for Time Force," he said finally, his voice dull. "I spend most of my time manipulating the people around me because I don't have any choice. My friends barely know me, and they don't like the parts they do. My fiancé - " He stopped himself, because Jen wasn't a subject he wanted to get into right now. "I can never see my family because they exist in a time nine hundred and seventy-three years before I do. And as for Blakemore ... " He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "You don't actually think he'll lose, do you? Even if Time Force does pretend he's been convicted, they'll just sneak him out some back door and give him a new identity." Wes was staring at him with wide eyes, and he shook his head with a sigh. "If there's one thing I've learned in my life, it's that you can't trust anyone to do what you expect them to. Especially if there's Power Rangers or government involved."

There was a long silence as Alex continued to pet Wes' dog.

"I never thought I'd meet someone even more bitter than Eric," Wes said finally, sounding subdued.

Alex's jaw tightened, and he jerked his hand away from the dog as he felt it clench instinctively into a fist. "I'm going for a walk," he said shortly, turning toward the street.

Wes caught his arm. "Alex - "

He whirled on him, glaring. "Why do you keep **doing** that?" he demanded. "Both of you. You're always telling me how much I remind you of him, or him of you, or Sky, or - or - whoever! Why can't I just remind someone of myself?!"

"Because that's not how family works, Alex," Wes said softly, still holding onto him. "When you love someone so much, you want to see the parts of other people you love in them. I see Eric and Sky in you, and sometimes even my dad or Eric's dad. Ben actually reminds me a little of my mom. Sky reminds me of you so much it hurts, the same way he reminds me of Eric."

"I don't want to look like anyone," Alex said flatly, stepping back again even as Wes' grip tightened. "I don't want be a reminder of anyone but myself."

Wes stared at him for a moment, and the hurt in his face was clearly visible. "Why?"

Alex closed his eyes. If he wasn't looking at him, maybe he could he could give the answer he wanted Wes to hear. "Because I - "

He stopped.

He could still feel Wes' hand gripping his arm, and even with his eyes closed he could picture that wounded expression. And no matter how much he wanted to hate Wes, or even just stop caring that he ever existed, a part of him would always hate that expression no matter how hard he fought to ignore it.

He swallowed hard.

"Because I don't want to care," he whispered finally. "Because if I care, it's going to hurt when you're not here anymore. And I don't want to look in the mirror every day and see your face and know that I'll never get to see any of you again."

There was a soft intake of breath in front of him. "Alex - "

"Please," he interrupted softly. He still refused to open his eyes. "I just need some air."

Wes swallowed audibly. "Okay," he said at last, his voice soft. "I'll ... I'll just - " He paused. "Have a nice walk," he finished instead.

Alex nodded. "Thanks."

He turned, only opening his eyes when he knew all he would see was the street in front of him. Then he shoved his hands into his pockets and proceeded to walk away slowly, leaving the house and Wes and the dog behind him without another glance. He didn't know where he was going. It only mattered that it wasn't here.


End file.
